NEWS
Desert Party takes UAE Guineas
Posted: Thursday, February 12, 2009 2:35 PM
DESERT PARTY
Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins photo
by Jeff Lowe
Desert Party got the best of his Godolphin Racing stablemate, Vineyard Haven, on Thursday in the $250,000 United Arab Emirates Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-G3) at Nad al Sheba racecourse.
Avenging his defeat in the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (G1) on September 1 at Saratoga Race Course, Desert Party swept past Vineyard Haven and another Godolphin runner, Regal Ransom, in the lane to win by 4¾ lengths under jockey Frankie Dettori.
Vineyard Haven ranged up near the lead in midstretch but faded under jockey Ted Durcan to finish fourth, beaten 6 ¼ lengths. The Eclipse Award finalist was making his first start in the Godolphin colors after being purchased privately from trainer Bobby Frankel and partners following victories in the Hopeful and Champagne Stakes (G1).
Desert Party and Regal Ransom also swept the top two spots, respectively, in a 1,400-meter (6.95-furlong) conditions race on January 22 at Nad al Sheba racecourse.
Desert Party covered 1,600 meters (7.96 furlongs) in 1:37.62 in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas, which is a prep for the $2-million United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2) on March 28 at Nad al Sheba.
John Ferguson purchased the Street Cry (Ire) colt for $2.1-million in the Fasig-Tipton Calder selected sale of two-year-olds in training, the most expensive purchase of the year for a juvenile at public auction.
Eoin Harty trained Desert Party for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Darley Stable for his three starts last year. He began his career with an easy victory at Arlington Park and scored by 3¼ lengths in the Sanford Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course on July 24.
Minor swelling was detected in Desert Party’s left front leg following his sixth-place finish in the Hopeful, and he was given the rest of the year off. He joined the Godolphin roster with trainer Saeed bin Suroor in Dubai this winter.
Earlier on the card, City Style prevailed in his Godolphin debut in a 1,300-meter (6.46-furlong) conditions race on the turf.
Jose Adan, another Godolphin addition this winter, did not fire and finished sixth.
City Style, a City Zip gelding, had not raced since a fourth-place finish to Donativum (GB) in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf for Darley. He won the Sunday Silence Stakes at Louisiana Downs in September.
Desert Party, Regal Ransom, Vineyard Haven, City Style, and Jose Adan are all nominated to the American Triple Crown.
To view the races, click here.
To view the THOROUGHBRED TIMES Road to the Triple Crown website, click here.
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
