An impressive warmup by Dubai's champion sprinter and an early showcase for UAE Derby (G2) contenders shared top billing as the Dubai World Cup Carnival rolled on Jan. 3 at Meydan Racecourse.
Tuz served notice with a dominating victory in the Dubawi Stakes (G3) that, at age 8, he is more than ready to defend his crown in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on World Cup night April 5.
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The Calumet Farm-bred son of Oxbow shrugged off early pressure, surged to a big lead at the top of the stretch, and was unchallenged en route to a 4 3/4-length victory over Colour Up.
It was his second win of the Dubai season and showed promise that the Bhupat Seemar trainee could become the third horse to snare back-to-back victories in the Golden Shaheen.
"He's a special horse, probably one of the fastest horses in the world right now," said victorious rider Tadhg O'Shea, who logged his 800th victory in the United Arab Emirates. "He's a year older but, to me, he's even better than last year."
O'Shea said the early competition in the 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) on the Meydan Racecourse dirt was no problem for Tuz.
"Everybody who knows Tuz knows he'll run a horse into the ground," he said.
Tuz won the 2024 Golden Shaheen by 6 1/2 lengths.
Zabeel Mile
The Dubawi Stakes shared billing with the Zabeel Mile (G2T) on the turf as features on a night that included novel sponsorships by the Kentucky Derby (G1) and England's Jockey Club.
Poker Face, racing between horses through deep stretch, put his nose in front right on the wire in the Zabeel Mile, defeating Holloway Boy by a head bob. Godolphin lead trainer Charlie Appleby, who had won the race in seven of the previous 11 years, saw his runners, Noble Dynasty and Ottoman Fleet finish third and fourth.
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The outcome was shaped by a slow early pace made by James Doyle on Noble Dynasty. At the end, as Noble Dynasty ran out of gas, Holloway Boy was one of the few able to make up ground and appeared to have the race won until Poker Face found the finish in the final strides.
"We just needed to keep it smooth," said winning rider Patrick Dobbs. "We got a lovely seam" between rivals.
Poker Face, a 6-year-old gelding by Fastnet Rock out of the Galileo mare Stars At Night, is trained by Simon and Ed Crisford. The Zabeel Mile was his first start in the UAE and followed a victory in a minor stakes on the Kempton Park all-weather Dec. 4. In that, Holloway Boy finished sixth.
UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial
One race earlier, Kentucky-bred Golden Vekoma, a Vekoma colt, took the lead early in the stretch run in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial and easily saw off the rest of the international field, winning by 2 1/4 lengths under Connor Beasley. He ran 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) in 1:24.51.
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"I was delighted when I was drawn out wide," Beasley said. "I think the key to him was he was in rhythm all the way. He'll have no trouble stepping up to a mile and an eighth."
Golden Vekoma was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm, which sold him for $145,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He resold for $90,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders' April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, out of the Grassroots Training and Sales consignment.
The race serves as a prep to the UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G3) on Fashion Friday, Jan. 25, at 1,600 meters (about one mile). The 1,900-meters (about 1 3/16 miles) UAE Derby on World Cup night is part of the Europe and Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby, which sponsored the Trial.
That series is set up in such a way that the winner of the UAE Derby will gain an automatic bid to the Run for the Roses, no matter the outcome of the previous legs of the series, which started in the autumn in England.
