UAE 2000 Guineas Day: Derby Road Points creates extra interest

Friday’s raceday at Meydan is one of the biggest in the United Arab Emirates outside Dubai World Cup day, and this year there’s some added spice.

For the first time, the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) carries eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby, with 42 points available in the Europe/Middle East Derby Road – 20 for the winner.

This series will be totally dominated by the UAE Derby (G2), which alone carries 100 points for the winner and 215 points in total (no other race has more than 30 points for the winner), but with two horses earning a Derby slot from this series, points earned here could become significant.

Outside this race, the thoroughbred card features two Group 1 contests, two Group 2s, and three more Group 3s. We will focus on the Group 1 races along with the Guineas.

Race 6, 11:25 a.m. ET: Al Maktoum Challenge (G1), dirt, 1,900 meters (abt 1 3/16 miles), $1 million

• $10 win/$20 show: #3 Heart of Honor ($30)
• $2 trifecta: 2,3 with 1,2,3 with 1,2,3,4,5 ($24).

Many of the best middle-distance horses in Dubai are here, including last year’s first two, #1 Walk of Stars and #2 Imperial Emperor, last year’s UAE Derby runner-up #3 Heart of Honor, and a string of former U.S. horses, including #4 Tumbarumba, #5 Artorius, and #9 Masmak.

It will be interesting to see how the market plays out, but the form horse is arguably Heart of Honor. Fifth in the Preakness (G1) and sixth in the Belmont (G1) last year, he’s won twice since returning to Dubai, including a nice victory over Artorius and Walk of Stars in the Entisar S. Dec. 19. He looks to be a horse on the up and the one to beat, especially if the pace is strong.

Walk of Stars had his chance in the Entisar but may improve for the run. Imperial Emperor was all out to win the Al Maktoum Mile (G2) Dec. 19 at his first run since the Dubai World Cup, and he has a stronger field to beat here, but may also improve from his first-up effort.

Of the former U.S. horses, Tumbarumba disappointed at his first Dubai start, and he is best-known at a mile, in which he was twice fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Masmak was well behind in the Al Maktoum Mile and needs to show more, while Artorius is at least a chance to fill in a spot in multiples.

Race 7, 12:00 p.m. ET: Jebel Hatta (G1), turf, 1,800 meters (abt 1 1/8 miles), $503,000

• $5 trifecta: 1 with 2 with 3, 4, 5, 6 ($20)
• $1 trifecta: 1 with 3, 4 with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ($8)

Just six horses have paid up for this contest. U.S. racing followers will be extremely familiar with #2 Nations Pride, a multiple Grade 1 winner on the North American turf, and he will be a strong chance again.

However, at his last start, he ran into an exciting stable companion, #1 Opera Ballo, and was a clear second-best in the Al Rashidiya (G2) at Meydan Dec. 19. Opera Ballo still has a bit to learn about racing, but he’s clearly very talented, and it’s hard to see him being toppled here.

The best chance for a decent payout probably comes in multiples, especially if something other than Nations Pride runs second. Canadian International winner #4 Silawi and the honest #3 Holloway Boy are probably the best chances to do that.

Race 8, 12:35 p.m. ET: UAE 2000 Guineas (G3), 1,600 meters (abt one mile), $190,000 

• $10 win/$20 show: #5 Devon Island ($30).
• $2 trifecta: 4, 5 with 1, 4, 5 with 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 ($24).

The UAE 2,000 Guineas carries points towards a Kentucky Derby start, but three horses cannot earn any Derby points at all. Unlike the Kentucky Derby, the UAE Classics allow southern hemisphere-bred three-year-olds to start, so if the South American-breds #1 Legalaized, #2 Namaguederaz, or #3 Don Pelicano finish in the top five, the points they earn count for nothing.

Legalaized in particular is a legitimate contender for this race. Winner of his only two starts in Argentina, he loomed up to win the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Jan. 2 in his first race in six months but was outfinished by #4 Six Speed in the run to the line. Six Speed, a son of Not This Time, had a 12-pound weight advantage in the hands of William Buick that day, but it’s down to 10 pounds here, and Legalaized may also benefit from extra race fitness.

Six Speed will be one of the favorites, but there will also be a lot of support for Godolphin colt #5 Devon Island, winner of his last two in Dubai. The fact that Buick rides Devon Island probably means little – Buick is Godolphin’s retained rider and probably wouldn’t have had the choice. Six Speed gains a top-class replacement in the form of Mickael Barzalona.

Devon Island is nonetheless a big chance. He was pretty much unchallenged in his last two starts, has a great turn of foot, and is already proven at a mile. He looks like a horse of real potential.

Of the others, #7 Brotherly Love, twice second to Devon Island before winning well Jan. 9 (this time after finally keeping up at the start), and Guineas Trial favorite #8 Lino Padrino, fourth that day after missing the start, look the best prospects.

There is some American form here in the shape of #10 Rammaas, a winner of one from four in Florida and fourth in the Listed Gulfstream Park Juvenile Sprint S. in November. Now in the hands of Six Speed’s trainer Bhupat Seemar, he will need to improve to be a factor here.