Tall Boy never stop working his way pass run first girl’s bee in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G3) extended run on February 10 at Meydan Racecourse, scoring the first win of his career after being undefeated in four starts in California at the age of 2.
Victory establishes a place in the UAE Derby (G2), Road to Kentucky Derby.
Tall boy, by Looking Lucky and Shirl’s Bee, by Bee shirt were both early nominees for the United States Triple Crown and the winner’s trainer, Doug O’Neill, made it clear that the pony the team calls the “gentle giant” has been sent to Dubai to have a clear path forward.
From the middle of the road down, it was a two-horse race with Shirl’s Bee inside and Tall Boy outside, going at a brisk pace while previously undefeated. tiger country missed the break and could never compete with the top two.
While both leaders slowed down during the grueling run, none of the others made up any points and the third finisher, Mr. Raj finished 1 3/4 length after Shirl’s Bee.
Winning jockey William Buick said Tall Boy surprised him.
“We’re going at a good pace. I don’t expect to be where I am,” Buick said. “He’s taken a big step forward and he’s covered a lot of ground. He’s going to go further.
“I hope relations will keep an eye on the UAE Derby after that.”
Indeed, O’Neill’s assistant Leandro Mora said before the race: “The reason he’s in Dubai is because we think he’s likely to be assigned to the UAE Derby. two points Kentucky Derby (G1) and we like him because he ran three tough races with Bob Baffert’s horses. He’s a gentle giant with a lot of talent.”
Those points come from finishing fourth in Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on December 17.
Tall Boy was bred by Rockingham Ranch and produced by Scat Daddy Mrs Mayra’s mare. He raced for Calumet Ranch. His males were trained by Baffert to win the 2010 Preakness Stakes (G1).
Shirl’s Bee, a hybrid of Charles Fipke, took its only win before, also at Meydan.
The Guineas are among the hots on the show offering hints about the races that will take place on Super Saturday March 4 and Dubai World Cup night on March 25.
The Curlin Handicap at 2,100 meters (about 1 5/16 miles) was created as a stepping stone to the Dubai World Cup (G1), usually through Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge (G1) on Super Saturday. That means the field often has some candidates looking to grow after being laid off and others to advance at the start of their 4-year-old season.
Winner, Franz Strauss, is in a completely different transition. A 4-year-old child due to golden horn out of a Dan cypress mare, runner Bhupat Seemar made his first dirt road start on 27 January in Meydan and won. He used an inside draw and a pre-run to win a 1/2-length Curlin, and Seemar says the dice are rolled for his immediate future.
“He wasn’t bred to do that but he was learning to run on the ground, which is very different from the pitch. The obvious choice now is Super Saturday,” Seemar said. “And there’s nothing to hide on Super Saturday when you’re up against some serious horses with confirmed dirty form.”
Another big concern in Curlin, hypothesis , won Round 3 of Al Maktoum Challenge 2022 (G1) and finished seventh at the World Cup. In his first start since that race, he was overtaken by outsiders Curlin, contested for speed in the middle of the stretch, and lacked in seventh.
Coach Salem bin Ghadayer said before the race, “The Hypothesis is probably only 80%-85% suitable, adding that the next step for him will be Super Saturday” and then we will See where I am.”
A pair of on-court sprints produced a massive disappointment and a popular win.
The Blue Point Turf Sprint (G2) failed in the final 100 meters when two highly favored Godolphin runners, man of promise And Lazuli blurred by disputes and extremist bystanders Miqyaas went home a close winner. ladies’ church last season’s group 2 winner in Ireland, second and logo hunter about third.
Man of Promise made a bad stop to finish last while Lazuli was part of the line across the field before finishing fourth.
Miqyaas won a rather modest local sprint handicap five days against Blue Point in just his second outing on the field.
Al Dasim easily finished to win a second straight grass sprint at the 1,200-meter Dubai Trophy (about six long distances). 3 years old harry angel The foal, coached by George Boughey, dominated the court in the final 200 meters to win with 3 3/4 of the length.
“He’s grown an extra leg here in the last few weeks,” Boughey said. “Now he must be a horse going to Super Saturday.” That will be for the $250,000 Nad Al Sheba Turf (G3) Sprint, and the coach mentioned upgraded expectations for Royal Ascot upon returning to base.
