UAE Derby Has Big Implications for Louisville

The band certainly won't be playing "My Old Kentucky Home" when an international field of 3-year-olds takes the track March 31 at Meydan for the UAE Derby Sponsored By Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2), but connections of several starters are also dreaming of a trip to Louisville.

A lot of attention will be focused on which of the horses contesting the Dubai race might show up in Kentucky for the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), or the May 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

As many as four could make the trip.

The UAE Derby offers qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby on a 100-40-20-10 basis to the first four finishers. The winner would be ensured a spot in the Louisville starting gate, and the 40 points for the runner-up would likely provide a slot as well.

In addition, the Japanese runner in Dubai, Ruggero, finished second in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The winner of that series is not nominated to the Triple Crown, leaving Ruggero's owners with first dibs on the berth even if he finishes out of the money in the UAE Derby.

Also, the lone filly in the Dubai race, Kentucky-bred Rayya, earned 50 points toward a start in the Kentucky Oaks when she won the March 1 UAE Oaks Sponsored By Al Naboodah Construction Group (G3) at Meydan.

Trainer Doug Watson said Rayya is scheduled to travel to the United States after the UAE Derby to be turned over to Bob Baffert's care. Baffert said he presumes the Kentucky Oaks would be the target for the Tiz Wonderful filly, even if she qualifies for a Derby slot.

Watson thinks Rayya's post 1 draw in Saturday's race will let her use her natural speed.

"She usually breaks pretty well and has enough early speed to hold a position with whoever is going from the outside," he said. "I'm excited to see her go on to a career in America and it will be fun to watch her over the summer."

Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has three of the nine entries for the UAE Derby in Kentucky-breds Mendelssohn, Seahenge, and Threeandfourpence. Any of the three would likely have been favored to land a Kentucky Derby spot with a win in the March 30 Burradon Stakes at Newcastle through the European points program. Instead, they will slug it out against tougher competition in the desert.

Mendelssohn, a Scat Daddy colt who has never raced on dirt, has been O'Brien's top prospect for Louisville since he won the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar. The only start since that race for the half brother to multiple champion Beholder was a victory in the March 9 32red Patton Stakes at Dundalk in Ireland over an all-weather surface. Threeandfourpence, a War Front  colt, and Seahenge, another by Scat Daddy, finished second and third in that race.

"Mendelssohn continues to improve, and we think he can run a big race," O'Brien said. "He is by Scat Daddy and is quite a strong traveler, so we will learn more about him at Meydan, in terms of maybe the Kentucky Derby.

"Threeandfourpence went forward in his last run at Dundalk, and that might be what we do with him again. He is in good order, and Seahenge, going up in distance, will suit him. We're hoping he can get out of the stalls a bit sharper than last time."

The lone American-based horse traveling to Dubai for the Derby is Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Reride, a Candy Ride  colt trained by Steve Asmussen who is taking the "road less traveled" toward Louisville. After closing out his 2-year-old season with a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, he won the Jan. 13 Big Drama Stakes at Delta Downs and the Feb. 25 Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park.

Rounding out the field are Gold Town, Yulong Warrior, and Taiki Ferveur.

Gold Town, a Street Cry gelding out of the Invincible Spirit mare Pimpernel, is Godolphin's hope to land the UAE Derby for the ninth time. Raced in England last year with limited success, he is two-for-two this season at Meydan, including a 10 1/2-length win in the Feb. 15 UAE Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors (G3). He is a supplemental Triple Crown entry at a cost of $6,000.

"He couldn't have done more than he has in his two races so far," trainer Charlie Appleby said of Gold Town, "and hopefully he can put in another good performance at the weekend. He's an improving horse."

Yulong Warrior, a Florida-bred son of Street Cry, broke his maiden at Meydan Feb. 3 and went on to win the March 10 Al Bastakiya Sponsored By Emirates.com. Satish Seemar trains the colt.

Taiki Ferveur, a Furioso colt trained by Mitsunori Makiura, is No. 3 on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby list after finishing second in the Feb. 18 Hyacinth Stakes in Tokyo.

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