Thunder Snow Gets Up in UAE Derby

Thunder Snow, just days after being made a late nominee to the U.S. Triple Crown series, justified the investment with a hard-fought victory March 25 in the UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) at Meydan Racecourse.

The score was worth 100 points toward a start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), enough to guarantee a spot in the Churchill Downs starting gate should his owner, Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Racing, so choose.

"Sheikh Mohammed has told me that's definitely an option," Godolphin bloodstock advisor John Ferguson said immediately after the race.

"He was the leading horse in England last year and he won a group 1 in France," Ferguson said. "He is very dear to our hearts. One has to be very happy with that."

Thunder Snow, an Irish-bred colt by the Australian sire Helmet (by Exceed And Excel), prevailed by a short head after a long stretch battle with one of the two Japanese runners in the race, Epicharis, who already earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby via victory in last month's Hyacinth Stakes in Tokyo.

Rallying from mid-pack to finish a strong third in the UAE Derby, 1 1/4 lengths behind Epicharis, was the Todd Pletcher-trained Master Plan, who won the OBS Championship Stakes in his only previous start this season and was stepping far up in class. Racing for Al Shaqab Racing, WinStar Farm, and China Horse Club, the $850,000 OBS March sale grad finished second  in his 2-year-old finale to Tapwrit in the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

With John Velazquez riding, Master Plan made progress through the stretch but was no threat to the top two.

Master Plan, a Twirling Candy  —Sage Mist, by Henny Hughes, colt, earned 20 Kentucky Derby points with the third-place finish.

Brad Weisboard, racing manager for Al Shaquab, said the Kentucky Derby may not be a primary option.

"Todd's team prepped him excellent and he stayed no problem," he said. "It opens up some options. I'm not sure of the Kentucky Derby options, but I do think the horse will stay the Belmont Stakes (G1) distance. And he can go on any surface—he can go on dirt, turf, synthetic. Most important is he's a nice horse and he ran his race today. Unfortunately he was third best."

Thunder Snow ended his 2-year-old season with a win in the seven-furlong Criterium International (G1) at Saint-Cloud in France Oct. 30. He did not run again until the UAE 2000 Guineas Sponsored By District One Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City (G3) over the Dubai course Feb. 23, winning by 5 3/4 lengths. Godolphin paid the $6,000 late nomination fee for the Triple Crown in the week before Saturday's triumph.

The homebred is out of the Dubai Destination mare Eastern Joy.