Albahr Back in Action After BC Juvenile Turf Mishap

Albahr , whose gate mishap ignited a raging controversy around the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, is back in action in Dubai as part of a fascinating, multinational field set for the $60,000 UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial Jan. 21 at Meyd

Albahr flipped in the gate before the Juvenile Turf and was scratched. The plot thickened when stablemate Modern Games , the favorite, also was scratched, then "unscratched" and left to run for purse money only. His supporters were infuriated when Modern Games won easily after their single-race tickets had been refunded and multi-race wagers moved to the favorite, who reported fifth.

Albahr, a Godolphin homebred gelding by Dubawi , hasn't raced since that incident. He brings a record of four wins from five starts as he starts his 3-year-old campaign for trainer Charlie Appleby on the second night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival. The victories included the Sept. 19 Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.

"He came back after the Breeders' Cup with a few nicks and knocks on him, but all superficial and the veterinary team there looked after him very well in America," Appleby said. "He then had a bit of a quiet spell during December and the stalls team here have done some work with him. He's got that switch on him, where sometimes we don't know what character might turn up, but so far all signs have been good and his work has been pleasing.

"It will be good to give him some experience on the surface and hopefully give him a springboard onto the Saudi Derby or UAE (Two Thousand) Guineas."

Dubai's 3-year-old races have attracted a diverse bunch recently and this year appears to be no exception. Two of the official top ratings in the field belong to South American-bred colts who actually are a half year ahead of their Northern Hemisphere counterparts in chronological age.

Quality Boone, a Daniel Boone colt, was a winner in Uruguay before his arrival in the UAE, where he promptly defeated 14 rivals in a seven-furlong handicap in December for trainer Antonio Luiz Cintra Pereira.

Kiefer, a Drosselmeyer  colt, was undefeated in three starts in Uruguay and makes his Meydan debut for trainer Ricardo Colombo.

Scandinavia is well represented. Hear the Drums, a gelded son of Appel Au Maitre , started in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway as a juvenile, winning twice. Steinar, a Kentucky-bred Union Rags   colt, takes the international theme to greater heights. He was 2-for-2 in Sweden in 2021 for his trainer, Susanne Berneklint.

The Guineas Trial points to the Feb. 10 UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G3) and the UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup night, March 26. The Derby is a 100-point race in Churchill Downs' main Road to the Kentucky Derby series and has had far more impact than the separate series in Japan and Europe.

In 2018, Mendelssohn used a victory in the Meydan race as a springboard to Louisville, where he was wiped out at the start and finished last of 20 behind Justify   in the Run for the Roses in what trainer Aidan O'Brien called "nearly savagery."

In 2019, Plus Que Parfait , then trained by Brendan Walsh, won the UAE Derby and finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Last year's UAE Derby winner, Rebel's Romance , did not go on to Kentucky but France Go de Ina , a Will Take Charge   colt who finished sixth at Meydan, shipped to the United States to run seventh in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course and eighth in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

Coincidentally, Plus Que Parfait and Rebel's Romance are both entered in the final race on the Jan. 21 card at Meydan, the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) Aliyan by Azizi. 

Michael Adolphson contributed to this report.