by Michael Burns

Attempting to duplicate the success achieved with South American discovery Invasor (Arg), Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Shadwell Stable has reinvested in racing stock in Uruguay.

Shadwell Stable purchased five of Uruguay’s top-rated Southern Hemisphere two-year-olds for United States racing and, possibly, the 2008-’09 United Arab Emirates racing season.

Rick Nichols, general manager of Shadwell Stable, traveled to Montevideo for the inaugural Serie de Campeones (Champion Series), Uruguay’s version of the Breeder’s Cup World Championships, on May 18 at Maroñas. Nichols acquired two of the Serie de Campeones winners—Vincero (Uru), winner of the 1,000-meter (4.97-furlong) Juvenile Sprint, and Inti (Uru), winner of the 1,400-meter (6.95-furlong) Juvenile Colts.

Vincero, Inti, and promising maiden winner Come Soon have been shipped to Saratoga Race Course and will be trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.

Shadwell also purchased Farandulero, who finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Inti while second in the Juvenile Colts, and maiden Amador, who is winless in two career starts, and sent them to trainer Danny Pietz at Belmont Park.

“If they are good enough, hopefully they will run in Dubai someday,” said Nichols. Each of the five horses will turn three on July 1 and are eligible for the 2009 UAE Derby (UAE-G2).

Shadwell Stable enjoyed tremendous success with Invasor (Arg), Uruguay’s 2005 Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old colt.

Purchased privately by Shadwell after winning each of his first five starts in Uruguay, Invasor went on to win Eclipse Awards in 2006 as Horse of the Year and champion older male. Invasor won the ´06 Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1) and the ´07 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) at Nad al Sheba.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent