by K. T. Donovan
The Americans were the first to wave their nation’s flag on Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) night as Four Roses Thoroughbreds’ Diamond Stripes won the $1-million Etisalat Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) to begin the Thoroughbred card.
On a humid night in which J. Paul Reddam’s Barcola was drenched in sweat leaving the paddock, Diamond Stripes took little time to vie for a contentious lead on the rail with Don Renato and three other contenders, with Rosberg wide the whole way. Barcola was second to last on the backstretch.
Rosberg took the lead from the middle of the track in the stretch, while Elusive Warning and Zakocity gave chase. Diamond Stripes looked finished on the rail, but he dug in and came back strongly to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over Elusive Warning in 1:36.96 on a track rated as fast.
“He’s a game colt, and he can come from any position,” winning jockey Edgar Prado said of the Notebook gelding.
Don Renato finished another 1 ¼ lengths back in third. Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Barcola finished 12th in the 14-horse field.
Diamond Stripes entered off an unplaced finish in the Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes on January 26.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. opted to stay in Florida to watch Big Brown race in the $1-million Florida Derby (G1). Assistant Michelle Nevin oversaw the preparations of Diamond Stripes for the Godolphin Mile, and she credited the comeback win to Prado.
“Edgar gave him a great ride,” she said. “He’s the kind of horse that you have to keep after, and he rode him perfectly.”
Owner Kasim Masri of Four Roses Thoroughbreds was represented in the winner’s circle by his brother and joint-owner, Abbas Masri.
“The horse ran huge,” Abbas Masri said, so excited he struggled to catch his breath. “This is his distance. He came back to his real distance, and we had been aiming for this here.”
Bred in Florida by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers Jr., Diamond Stripes is out of the winning On to Glory mare Romantic Summer. He improved to six wins in 12 career starts and boosted his earnings to $1,475,645.
The rest of the order of finish: Zakocity was fourth, followed by Rosberg, Blackat Blackitten, Jet Express, Brave Tin Soldier, Green Coast, Halkin, Watch What Happens, Barcola, Golden Arrow (Ire), and Baharah.
For a replay of this and other races on the Dubai World Cup card, click here.
K. T. Donovan is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer