Mubtaahij Races For 'Other' Sheikh in Belmont
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He may not be the most well-known of his family in the world of Thoroughbred horse racing, but Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa is making a name for himself right alongside his more-established cousins, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Hamdan.
But the head of the Dubai Land Department will be competing against his family members when his Mubtaahij runs in the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) against Godolphin Racing's Frosted in a bid to upset Triple Crown candidate American Pharoah.
A former rider and trainer of Arabian horses in endurance races, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa became interested in owning Thoroughbreds about a decade ago. He enlisted South African trainer Mike de Kock to handle his top-quality horses in the United Arab Emirates.
"Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa loves his horses," said de Kock's assistant, Trevor Brown, who rode Mubtaahij for his gallop June 3 at Belmont Park. "He is a lovely man with a great passion for horses. He comes to the yard every Saturday and we bring each one of his horses out and he looks them over. He has a sharp eye, gives his comments on each one, and he knows what he's looking at."
There is also a large, global broodmare band with operations in Australia, Argentina, Europe, South Africa, and Dubai. The Dubai Racing Canrival, which de Kock succeeds at almost annually, promped the sheikh to reach out to the South African. That combination has proved particularly rewarding for all.
Asiatic Boy, a son of Not For Sale, won the UAE Triple Crown in 2009 and was champion of that country. The earner of $3,321,130, Asiatic Boy ran seventh in the 2009 Belmont Stakes behind Summer Bird. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa also owned Archipenko, a son of Kingmambo who was a group I winner in England and Hong Kong; and Honour Devil , a millionaire and champion older horses in the UAE.
Now comes Mubtaahij, winner of this year's U.A. E. Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed al Naboodah Group (UAE-II). The son of Dubawi ran eighth in the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) in his first U.S. start, and figures to move forward off that effort and at the added distance of the Belmont.
As Minister of Land Affairs in Dubai since 1971, the sheikh has been instrumental in the building up of Dubai into a tourist destination. He and his staff are charged with administering and regulating the demand for property and the awarding of business rights to investors.
The sheikh has been quoted as saying that he is not interested in a contest for glory between himself and his cousin, the ruler of UAE. He calls it a "healthy competition," not unlike when they rode against each other in endurance races.
This Saturday, they will be competing to see who—if either—is able to take the Triple Crown away from American Pharoah.