In what was already a lucrative international trip, the quick 3-year-old’s connections, Pinehurst will target more riches on March 26 in Meydan in the $1 million UAE Derby sponsored by Mubadala (G2).
Last month, Pinehurst raked in $900,000 with his first win in the Al Rajhi Bank Saudi Derby (G3) as the son of Spinning candy bravely went up against multiple challengers on the track in that one-way test, competing for about a mile. The 2021 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner made more than $1.2 million for owners of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable, and Siena Farm and will make another $580,000 with Saturday’s win.
To claim that victory at Meydan, Pinehurst will have to successfully cover 1,900 meters (1 3/16 miles) – the longest race of his career to date. While distance can be a challenge for Pinehurst, who finished fifth in last year’s 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), the often speed-loving surface in Meydan could prove it. for his hobby.
In addition to providing a lucrative wallet, the UAE Derby also awarded 170 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers (100-40-20-10). But Pinehurst was trained by Bob Baffert and Churchill Downs this year will not award any points to the horses he trains. Baffert is protesting the race’s actions in court.
Baffert is also appealing a 90-day suspension issued by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. As a regulatory suspension, that action will be respected by all other racing nations and major international jurisdictions. While a The Kentucky court on Monday overturned that adjournmentit pushed the start date from March 22 to April 4 to allow time to appeal.
For Saturday’s race, the field had 16 entries, including 13 Northern Hemisphere-bred 3-year-olds as well as a trio of Southern Hemisphere time runners. Each horse in the Southern Hemisphere will weigh 59.5 kg (131 pounds) —4.5 kg (10 pounds) more than a horse in the Northern Hemisphere. (Since Southern Hemisphere horses are considered 4-year-olds in the United States, they do not qualify for Road to Kentucky Derby qualifying points.)
In addition to Pinehurst, the UAE Derby has two other athletes trained by the United States in Get Goldie backwho won a qualifying race at Meydan last month, and placed 3rd Age of wealth . Doug O’Neill coaches Get Back Goldie, son of Gold Coins , for owners of WC Racing, Aldabaugh, Wonderland and Goldstein. Grandview Equine and Don Alberto Stable’s Gilded Age will start for the first time since finishing third in the Withers Stakes (G3) table last month at Water troughs. The son of Medalia d’Oro Trained by Bill Mott.
Leading the international athletes are mixed Argentines Irwinwho won a pair of group 1 races in 2021 in Argentina and the equity winner in Japan Sekifu third place in the Saudi Arabia Derby.
Godolphin will send a pair of runners-up in the Island Falcon (IRE), two-time winners looking to bounce back from eighth in the Saudi Arabia Derby; and Japanese hybrid Burn winner of this year’s Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse.
