Meydan

It's been a torrid beginning to 2025 for champion freshman sire Vekoma, who racked up yet another potentially important horse when Golden Vekoma ran out a good-looking winner of Friday's UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Sponsored by Kentucky Derby, a 1400-meter contest run under allowance conditions at Meydan. Making his first start since finishing a distant third in a 1600-meter maiden Dec. 6, the bay colt broke running from a double-digit gate and parked right off the speed in a three-wide third, then dropped down into the two path when the...

The G2 Zabeel Mile Sponsored by Phi Advertising is the official feature on Friday's 'Sword Of Honour' raceday at Meydan, with last year's winner San Donato (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) featuring in a nine-strong field as he tries to emulate Safety Check (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the only previous dual winner of the race in 2015 and 2016. Successful in 2024 when trained by Doug Watson, the nine-year-old San Donato is now with Michael Costa and shaped with plenty of encouragement on his first start for the stable when filling...

The Dubai Racing Club has announced a new partnership with Churchill Downs which will see the Louisville-based operation sponsor the AED300,000 ($81,660) UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (allowance) to be held Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, at Meydan Racecourse. The 2024 renewal was won by the Michael Costa-trained Ma Yetal (Flameaway). Commenting on the partnership, Erwan Charpy, Manager, Racing Operations & International Relations for Dubai Racing Club, said: "We are constantly inspired by our leaders to set the bar higher and in working with international partners such as Churchill Downs, we are...

Dubai Racing Club has today announced a new partnership with the Jockey Club, the UK's largest racecourse group. The partnership will see a little slice of England come to Meydan on Friday, January 3 when the AED300,000 Jumeirah Stakes, for three-year-olds over seven furlongs on turf, becomes the Jumeirah Stakes Sponsored by The Jockey Club. Representatives from Dubai Racing Club will also travel to Newmarket's July Course on Friday, July 11, during the prestigious July Festival, when the club will sponsor the Dubai Racing Club Handicap Stakes over five furlongs....

Facing some stiff competition, the lightly raced Meshtri (Medaglia d'Oro) prevailed in the G2 Al Maktoum in the colours of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Friday. In charge once the gates flew open, the Michael Costa trainee set the pace while pressed by Desert Wisdom (Dubawi {Ire}). A touch keen once on the backstretch proper, the freewheeling bay never shook off that foe completely. Positions were largely unchanged on the bend, but he was doing it well enough. Desert Wisdom caved prior to the 500-metre mark, but Qareeb...

3rd-Meydan, AED210,000, Cond., 12-20, NH 2yo & SH 3yo, f, 1400m, 1:25.50, ft. FLAMA SUNSHINE (f, 2, Flameaway--Charming Emmy, by Sky Mesa) second to the scratched Arigatou Gozaimasu (Honest Mischief) on her debut in November, led from flagfall en route to a two-length victory in the Shahama Stakes Sponsored by Emaar. Queen Azteca (Sharp Azteca) unleashed a furious rally to take second, 2 1/2 lengths to the good of Taswaheen (Mendelssohn). "She was very professional," said Tadhg O'Shea. "She won a trial around here but was quite green last time....

The Charlie Appleby-trained Measured Time (GB) faces eight rivals on the Festive Friday card at Meydan when he attempts to repeat his 2023 success in the AED850,000 G2 Al Rashidiya Sponsored by Emaar. No horse has ever won back-to-back renewals of the Al Rashidiya, but Measured Time is likely to be a warm order as the sole previous Group 1 winner in the line-up. He followed last year's victory in this race with a first Group 1 triumph in the Jebel Hatta and a fourth-place finish in the G1 Dubai...

Last seen finishing an even fifth behind 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) in the GII Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct on Dec. 7, Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno (Bucchero) has emerged from the effort none the worse for wear and has arrived at trainer Derek Ryan's winter base at Tampa Bay Downs, the partnership's Jay Briscione said Wednesday. "He came out of it good," Briscione said. "I think we were planning on backing off a little bit. We gave him a complete exam and, knock on wood, he's good....

Scuderia la Tesa and Vaibhav Shah's Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is targeting the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on Dubai World Cup night, Apr. 5. Said trainer Marco Botti of his new G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase hero, "I think we'll skip Saudi for sure and head to Dubai. After the other day we'll think about the Sheema Classic, that will be his next target all being well. "He is definitely a horse who enjoys travelling. He enjoys being away from the yard and it gives us chance to target those...

On Saturday at Churchill Downs, 2-year-old Patch Adams (Into Mischief)--yes, as in the 1998 Robin Williams film where the best line might be, "Donner, party of 50!"--earned his very own 'Rising Star' on TDN's Walk of Fame. The colt turned in what Alan Carasso called "a jaw-dropping performance" as he broke his maiden by an eye-catching 10 1/2 lengths at second asking. The time over the fast main track was just 0.33 off the record held by MGISW Groupie Doll. Thoroughbred bloodlines can highlight connections to a rich past and...

7th-Meydan, AED165,000, Mdn., 11-22, NH 2yo/SH 3yo, f, 1400m, 1:25.27, ft. ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU (f, 2, Honest Mischief--Woodflower, by Woodman) took over leaving the chute in this first start and raced under pressure down the backstretch. Opening up by several lengths on the far bend, the bay poured it on down the lane to win easily by 8 1/2 lengths. Flama Shunshine (Flameaway) unleashed a rally to take second on the bend, but could not catch the winner and was 17 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Ruby Hamilton (Audible)....

In this series, we will have a look at American-bred first-time juvenile starters (through the end of 2024) and debuting 3-year-olds in maiden races at the tracks of the Emirates Racing Authority, with a specific focus on pedigree and/or performance in a sales ring. The flagship venue for racing in the United Arab Emirates is Meydan Racecourse, which will host racing predominantly on Fridays, with the exception of Super Saturday Mar. 1 and Dubai World Cup night Apr. 5, 2025. Here are the horses of interest for the Friday program...