El Kabeir Shines on Stars of Tomorrow Card

El Kabeir (right) won his first graded stakes race when winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Saturday. (Photo by Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)
The third time proved to be the charm for El Kabeir on Saturday when the 2-year-old colt won the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in his third graded stakes attempt.
El Kabeir and Calvin Borel went straight to the lead after the break and opened up a few lengths on the field, covering the first quarter-mile in :23.62 with Sky Hero and Lucky Player racing in second and third, respectively.  
Sky Hero cut into El Kabeir’s lead on the backstretch but still raced about two lengths behind the colt with the pacesetter running a half-mile in :47.50.
El Kabeir was only a length in front of the rest of the field as he rounded the turn, and he started to lengthen that lead again as Borel encouraged him in the stretch.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the colt as Imperia made a powerful move in the stretch and nearly caught El Kabeir. The margin of victory was just a head with Eagle also making a late rally to grab third. International Star finished fourth.
El Kabeir covered the 1 1/16 miles in a time of 1:44.82.
"At the finish I knew it was getting tight because he had never been this far and the track is a little heavy," Borel said. "With everything put together it was a matter of who could out grind the other one. I think he did. It was the first time going this far. Truly, after this race it'll tighten him up real good."
The top four horses also earned points toward Kentucky Derby qualification due to the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes’ inclusion on the Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying system.
El Kabeir was purchased for $250,000 as a yearling and races for Zayat Stables. He broke his maiden at Saratoga in his second start by an impressive 10 ¾ lengths before finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park in early October. Trainer John Terranova II sent the colt to the Grade 2 Nashua Stakes instead of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and he finished second in the Nashua before the breakthrough victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes.
"He ran on a real deep and tiring track that day in the Nashua and ran into a real strong head wind up the backstretch and got a little keen with (jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.) up the backstretch with the blinkers on first time so I pulled those right off," Terranova said. "I went easy for the first couple of weeks because he was a little tired after that last race. He was a lighter colt and he's put on weight and looked good so I got a good work in him the other day so I decided to ship him down here to see how he handled the two turns."

By 2007 Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy, El Kabeir the first foal out of the unraced Unbridled’s Song mare Great Venue. Great Venue is a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Too Much Bling and to three other stakes winners.
Going off at odds of 7.30-1, El Kabeir paid $16.60 to win.
For an Equibase chart, click here.