The Toast of Dubai

Michael Buckley’s synthetic-loving Toast of New York (Thewayyouare), making his first start since Nov. 1, belied longshot odds to authoritatively break the stranglehold held on this race by trainers O’Brien, bin Suroor and de Kock and provide conditioner Jamie Osborne with his first Meydan winner from one starter. Al Bastakiya one-two finishers Asmar (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Emirates Flyer (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) rounded out the top three. Last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Giovanni Boldini (War Front) got uncorked late and settled for fourth. “Seeing him win like that was pretty choking and I’m trying to fight back the tears,” said an understandably excited Osborne, a former rider who began training 15 years ago. “I’m pretty speechless, really. He does seem to be something special.” 

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai 
UAE DERBY SPONSORED BY THE SAEED & MOHAMMED AL NABOODAH GROUP-G2, $2,000,000, MEY, 3-29, 3yo, 9 1/2f (AWT), 1:57.92, fs. 
1–#@TOAST OF NEW YORK, 121, c, 3, by Thewayyouare 
     1st Dam: Claire Soleil, by Syncline 
     2nd Dam: Claire Marine (Ire), by What a Guest (Ire) 
     3rd Dam: Perle Marine (Fr), by Lyphard 
($35,000 yrl ‘12 KEEJAN; €60,000 RNA yrl ‘12 
GOFORB). O-Michael Buckley; B-Ashleigh Stud (Frank 
& Jackie Ramos); T-Jamie Osborne; J-Jamie Spencer; 
$1,200,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $1,208,115. 
First grade/group winner for sire (by Kingmambo). 
Werk Nick Rating: B+. 
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 
2–Asmar (Ire), 121, c, 3, Cape Cross (Ire)–Zaneton (Fr), 
by Mtoto (GB). (€230,000 yrl ‘12 ARQAUG). 
O/T-Fawzi Abdulla Nass; B-Eric Puerari & Oceanic 
Bloodstock; $400,000. 
3–Emirates Flyer (GB), 121, c, 3, Acclamation (GB)– 
Galapagar, by Miswaki. (100,000gns yrl ‘12 
TATOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al 
Maktoum; B-Carmel Stud; T-Saeed bin Suroor; 
$200,000. 
Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, NO. 
Also Ran: Giovanni Boldini, Cooptado (Arg), Long John (Aus), Paximadia (Aus), Sir Jack Layden (GB), King Rubi (GB), Safety Check (Ire), Jallota (GB), Sir John Hawkins. Click for the Racing Post result, AmWest.com PPs, VIDEO or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. 
    Fifth going seven furlongs over the Leicester turf Aug. 11, the Kentucky-bred finished a close second over a mile of Kempton Polytrack 18 days later. He donned cap and gown by 12 lengths over the Wolverhampton synthetic Sept. 13, and crushed his foes by 16 lengths going an extended seven furlongs back on that all-weather surface Nov. 1. Away well to press the pace while in the clear, Toast of New York always gave the impression that he would have a say in the outcome. Pilot Jamie Spencer took a look back for competition with about 600 meters to race before asking his mount to overtake pacesetting Safety Check (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) at about the 400-meter mark. The bay blew past the pacesetter with disdain soon after, and responded willingly to Spencer’s encouragement to win as much the best. 
   “He was in control and relaxed all the way and I knew from the five-pole that unless something pretty drastic happened I was going to win,” said Spencer. “This horse has been doing a lot of good things, both on and off the track, and he couldn’t have done it much easier. 
   With the victory, Toast of New York secured a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Derby, but his connections were noncommital in the immediate aftermath as to whether he would try the dirt. 
“There are several routes we could go down and while he has been left in the Triple Crown races in America I’m not really sure about the dirt for him,” said Osborne. Added owner Michael Buckley, perhaps best known for his success over the jumps with the likes of 2012 Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Finian’s Rainbow (Ire) (Tiraaz), added, “The horse will now go back to Lambourn and Jamie will see how he is. The Kentucky Derby is not out of the question, but I can’t say what the definite plan will be as I don’t train him.” 

UAE Derby Winner Has Kentucky Roots… 
   Despite British connections, a New York name and his career highlight coming in Dubai, Toast of New York’s smashing success was also a victory for the Bluegrass. Frank and Jackie Ramos of Ashleigh Stud were given the winner’s second dam–a MGISW on the grass Stateside who also took the second running of the Beverly D. S. and was MGSP in France–by the late Sid Port. First dam Claire Soleil was one of only two foals out of Claire Marine bred by the Ramos’, who brought the winless mare to first-year stallion Thewayyouare (Kingmambo), then a resident of Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, in 2011. “I just liked the sire,” said Jackie Ramos of what went into the mating. “I didn’t go any great research on it–I just liked him. He looked like a very racy horse.” Of getting a chance to see the horse they bred return to Kentucky for the Derby, Ramos said, “I’d be very happy, it would be very nice; I’m sure they’ll do the right thing by the horse; I’m very happy for the connections. Mr. Buckley is a real sporting man and Jamie is a hard-working trainer.” Ashleigh Stud bred Claire Soleil to English Channel in 2011, and returned to the Coolmore roster the following season, with a resulting Cape Blanco (Ire) colt born last year.