Lord Glitters glittered, Salute The Soldier saluted the judges, and Frankie Dettori and Pat Dobbs battled to a draw in the two sprint races as Super Saturday at Meydan Racecourse March 6 set the table for World Cup night three weeks down the road.
The victory for Salute The Soldier solidified his claims on a spot in the $12 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), and 8-year-old Lord Glitters confirmed his slot in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1), where he was third behind Almond Eye two years ago.
New York-bred Panadol likely earned a spot in the UAE Derby Sponsored by Emirates NBD (G2) and Midnight Sands, after an unproductive trip to the United States last season, scored his sixth straight victory over the Meydan strip, setting up a tilt at the Godolphin Mile (G2).
Last year's World Cup program fell victim to the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Things look brighter this year as the international raiders prepare to descend on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum's plush racing palace, where they will find some of the Super Saturday victors waiting.
Salute The Soldier a Front-Running Victor
Salute The Soldier booked his spot in the March 27 World Cup with a front-running victory in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). Going in, the distance was the question for the 6-year-old Sepoy gelding and jockey Adrie de Vries said he answered well.
"He jumped well and they didn't want it so I was happy to lead," de Vries said. "I got my own pace. He's getting better, this guy. I'm just as happy with the 2,000 meters. Sometimes it looks like they're getting to him. But if they do get to him, I think he's got a little more in the tank."
He had plenty in the closing stages of Round 3, holding safe runner-up Hypothetical by 1 3/4 lengths. Roman Rosso was third and Thegreatcollection flattened out late to report fourth.
Winning trainer Fawzi Nass said he never thought Salute The Soldier, campaigned earlier in turf sprints in Europe, was limited to those conditions.
"He showed us last year that he glides over this surface here at Meydan," said Nass, who trains the gelding for the Victorious ownership group. "He's not built like a sprinter."
Nass said he considered passing up Round 3 on the assumption Salute The Soldier already had a slot in the World Cup.
"It's a long gap (between races) so we thought, why not? I'm glad we did it," he said.
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Lord Glitters Up in Time to Take Jebel Hatta
Eight-year-old Lord Glitters shot between the leaders in the closing yards of the evening's first group 1 event, the Jebel Hatta Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), and snatched the win by a short head over Eqtiraan. The favorite, Al Suhail, appeared to be cruising toward victory midway through the stretch run but strayed from a straight course twice and settled for third, another short head in arrears.
"I was keeping an eye on Al Suhail, the main threat," said winning rider Daniel Tudhope. "But I mainly was just worried about getting a clear run … Even before we came out here, he was looking great. He's an old guy but he has a big chance in the Dubai Turf."
Lord Glitters, a striking, light gray Whipper gelding, was third in the 2019 Dubai Turf, won by international superstar mare Almond Eye. His travels have taken him as far afield as Woodbine, where he was sixth in the 2018 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T), and Santa Anita Park, where he finished ninth in the 2019 TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T).
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Panadol Secures UAE Derby Spot
The Al Bastakiya Sponsored by Arabian Adventures represented a final chance for 3-year-olds to secure a spot in the UAE Derby and it was Panadol grabbing that brass ring.
Panadol broke cleanly from the outside gate for jockey Mickael Barzalona, crossed over to take the lead while saving ground, and edged out to a daylight lead in the stretch. Speight'spercomete gave chase but could not make up any ground in the final 100 meters and finished second while El Patriota's drive stalled midway down the stretch and he barely salvaged third.
Panadol, a New York-bred Flatter colt racing for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, ran 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles) on the Meydan dirt course in 1:58.13. It was his second win in as many starts, following a 7 3/4-length maiden score on Feb. 13, going 1,600 meters (about one mile).
Panadol, out of the Dixieland Band mare Arradoul, was bred by Chester and Mary Broman and sold for $180,000 at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
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Final Song Holds On
Dettori sent Final Song out to a big early lead in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint Sponsored by Emirates.com (G3), the final race of the evening and a prep for the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1). For a flash, it looked like the move was too early as Dobbs got Motafaawit flying from the back of the field and just missed catching Dettori's filly by a diminishing head under the wire. Acklam Express was third as Final Song, a 4-year-old Dark Angel filly, finished the 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) in 1:10.39.
"I got the feeling she wanted to go," Dettori said. "Maybe I went too soon. But she's very honest and I had a good lead."
About the Al Quoz, Dettori added, "There might be some other horses better than her. But she's entitled to be in the field."
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Canvassed Ekes Out Score
Dettori sent Good Effort out to a nice lead in the stretch run of the 1,200-meter Mahab Al Shimaal Sponsored by Emirates Skywards (G3) on dirt and looked set to cruise home first. This time, he couldn't make the advantage hold up as Dobbs found another gear in the box for Canvassed in the final 100 meters and that one ranged up to snatch the victory by a neck. It was another 2 3/4 lengths to Lavaspin in third.
Canvassed, a 6-year-old Shamardal gelding trained by Doug Watson, notched his second straight win at Meydan over the same trip and is primed for the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1) on World Cup night.
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Godolphin Runners Sweep Dubai City of Gold
Godolphin trainers saddled four of the seven runners in the Dubai City of Gold Sponsored by Emirates Holidays (G2), a 2,410-meter (about 1 1/2-mile) marathon, and they were the first four home in a well-spaced finish. The favorite, Walton Street, a 7-year-old Cape Cross gelding, assumed the lead a half-mile out and cruised across the finish 3 1/2 lengths to the good of Dubai Future. It was another 4 3/4 lengths to Desert Fire and 1 1/4 more to Brilliant Light. After that, it was another 19 1/2 lengths to the closest pursuer.
Walton Street continued the excellent World Cup Carnival record compiled by trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick, finishing in 2:26.83. He has won both his Carnival starts by daylight and looks forward to the Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors (G2) at 3,200 meters (about two miles) March 27.
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Midnight Sands Adds to Meydan Record in Burj Nahaar
Midnight Sands showed no ill effects from an unproductive trip back to his native United States or from a layoff since finishing eighth in the Lafayette Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select in his last run at Keeneland in November as he swept to an authoritative, 2 1/4-length victory in the one-mile Burj Nahaar Sponsored by Emirates SkyCargo (G3), a prelude to the Godolphin Mile.
The 5-year-old son of Speightstown obviously enjoyed his return to Meydan, where he has won six straight races, albeit down the class ladder.
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