Lani Stamps Kentucky Derby Ticket With UAE Derby Victory

Lani winning the UAE Derby in his first start on the Kentucky Derby trail. (Video courtesy of Meydan Racing)
By Blood-Horse Staff
Kentucky-bred Lani is headed back to his roots while representing Japan after earning his way into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands with a March 26 UAE Derby score.
The gray Tapit colt edged Polar River in the 1,900-meter (about 1 3/16 miles) event at Meydan, earning 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for owner Yoko Maeda.
The owner's son, Koki Maeda, confirmed Lani will become just the second runner to target the Run for the Roses for Japan. The only one so far, Ski Captain, finished 14th in 1995.
"Of course, we will go to the Kentucky Derby, and I'd like to get the first prize," Maeda said.
Trainer Mikio Matsunaga said Lani will go straight from Dubai to Kentucky, departing the United Arab Emirates around March 30.
Postponed Continues Win Streak in Dubal Sheema Classic

Postponed scored a comfortable two-length triumph from hard-charging Duramente in the $6-million Dubai Sheema Classic Presented By Longines in the penultimate race of the night March 26 at Meydan.
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Postponed lurked just off the early pace set by Highland Reel and grabbed the lead in the stretch. Ridden by Andrea Atzeni, he completed 2,410 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) in 2:26.97 on turf rated good for the horse’s fourth consecutive victory.
Japanese champion Duramente, who ran with only one front shoe after losing his right front before the start, gallantly pursued but had to settle for second to end a a three-race win streak. Last Impact, also based in Japan, was third, 1 1/2 lengths back.
Bred in Ireland by St Albans Bloodstock, Postponed is a 5-year-old by Dubawi out of the Dubai Destination mare Ever Rigg. His record improves to 7-2-4 from 15 career starts.
Real Steel Gives Japan Second Win of Night in Dubai Turf

Video courtesy of Meydan Racing
Real Steel made it two wins for Japan on the Dubai World Cup card March 26 when he ran down Very Special in the stretch and held off Euro Charline in the $6-million Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World.
A son of leading Japanese sire Deep Impact, Sunday Racing Co.'s Real Steel won by a half-length after breaking from post 14 in the field of 15 and finished 2,410 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) on turf rated as good in 1:47.14. Team Valor's 2014 Beverly D. Stakes victress Euro Charline, reluctant to load into the starting gate, finished a good-closing second. Tryster was third as the 8-5 favorite in U.S. pools, two lengths back in the field of 15.
Flamboyant (12-1), winner of two graded stakes in Southern California this year, finished fifth with Brice Blanc aboard.
Ghaamer showed the way early, with Very Special in close pursuit and Real Steal in third, then fourth after spurting across the course to a prominent position. Very Special took charge coming off the turn and opened a clear advantage, but she could not hold off the winner and finished sixth.
Real Steel's dam is the Storm Cat mare Loves Only Me. He was bred in Japan by Northern Farm.
Muarrab Wins Tough Fought Dubai Golden Shaheen

Video courtesy of Meydan Racing
United States-based X Y Jet ran lights-out on the front-end but couldn't fend off Muarrab, who edged past near the wire to win the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News March 26 at Meydan Racecourse.
Owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Muarrab, a 7-year-old gelding by Oasis Dream out of the Wolfhound mare Licence To Thrill, rallied from off the pace to win the about six-furlong event in 1:10.62. He was ridden by Paul Hanagan for trainer Musabah Al Muhairi.
X Y Jet, owned by Rockingham Ranch, which purchased majority interest earlier this year, and Gelfenstein Farm, didn't break sharply but accelerated to challenge Rich Tapestry for the lead. The 4-year-old Kantharos  gelding had won three consecutive stakes, including the Gulfstream Park Sprint and Mr. Prospector, at Gulfstream Park before his trip to the United Arab Emirates.
"I would have loved to win, but he ran a huge race," trainer Jorge Navarro said of X Y Jet, the favorite in U.S. betting pools.
Hanagan credited the winner and second-place finisher with producing a serious stretch battle.
"He's such a star; he's very laid back when the gates open," Hanagan said of Muarrab, who won for the 13th time in 24 starts. "But every time I went to get in front in the stretch, (X Y Jet) kept coming back on him."
Morawij rallied to be third, while U.S.-based Confrontation, who won the Firebreak Stakes at about one mile Feb. 4, broke poorly, dropped back to last, and never threatened. The Godolphin-owned son of War Pass had finished second to Liam's Map and Tonalist in one-mile stakes last year at Belmont Park.
One Man Band Gives Trainer Doug Watson First Dubai World Cup Night Win

Video courtesy of Meydan Racing
Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's One Man Band captured the $1-million Godolphin Mile and led a sweep of the top three positions for trainer Doug Watson March 26 at Meydan Racecourse. It was the first Dubai World Cup program victory for Watson, a top trainer in the United Arab Emirates.
One Man Band, a 5-year-old horse by Pivotal out of the Cape Cross mare Musicanna, grabbed the early lead from his rail post position and never looked back en route to an easy victory in 1:35.21 for about one mile. Cool Cowboy, who chased the leader throughout, couldn't gain in the stretch and was nailed late for second by stablemate Faulkner. One Man Band won by 4 3/4 lengths. Faulkner had a nose on Cool Cowboy.
Watson called the one-two-three finish "unbelievable" and said he was confident One Man Band would win when Cool Cowboy failed to make up ground off the far turn.
"Cool Cowboy wasn't getting to him," Watson said. "(One Man Band) has won this way before when he has gotten an easy lead. It's a great feeling. We have a great team at home and great owners who give us great horses."
Buffering Wins One For Australia in Al Quoz Sprint

Australian sprint star Buffering thundered to victory in the $1-million Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Meydan Hotels & Hospitality March 26 at Meydan.
The 8-year-old son of Mossman dug in to edge Sheikh Hamdan's Ertijaal by three-quarters of a length as the field pressed in and finished the straight 1,000 meters (about five furlongs) on good turf in :56.34. Peniaphobia, the early leader, was a neck back in third in the field of 13. U.S.-based multiple stakes winner Lady Shipman, the 2-1 favorite, finished seventh after a poor start in seeking her first graded win.
Ridden by Damian Browne for trainer Robert Heathcote, Buffering raced just off Peniaphohia and Ertijaal before the latter took over 300 meters out, but Buffering knuckled down to get the victory. He tallied a 13th stakes win and seventh at the highest level while taking his overall record to 20-9-8 from 52 starts.
Favored Vazirabad Wins Dubai Gold Cup

Video courtesy of Meydan Racing
The Aga Khan's Vazirabad flew past rivals in the stretch and caught front-runner Big Orange to win the $1-million Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors March 26 at Meydan.
A 4-year-old homebred son of Manduro ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Vazirabad lost several steps after a poor start. Relaxed at the back of he field, he was full of run when asked and collared Big Orange 100 meters out to win by a neck for a sixth consecutive triumph.
"He hasn't had a prep race so I asked Christophe to respect the horse," Royer-Dupre said. "He isn't very quick at the start but he has a turn of foot."
Certerach set the early tempo to the head of the stretch as Big Orange stalked from second. Big Orange soon took charge but could not withstand the rally of Vazirabad. Haafaguinea was third.
Bred in France from the Linamix mare Visorama, Vazirabad has six wins and a second from eight career starts for Alain de Royer-Dupre.