Godolphin Colt Favored in Euro Road to KY Derby Heat

The reformatted Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby resumes Feb. 26 on the all-weather surface at Kempton Park with, appropriately, the European Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes. This is the fifth race in the series, following four conducted on turf last autumn in England, Ireland, and France. The earlier races historically are proving grounds for the European classics and lack relevance to the Kentucky Derby (G1). The Kempton race and the Patton Stakes March 7 at Dundalk theoretically could produce candidates for Kentucky. But they are overshadowed by the final race in the series, the UAE Derby (G2) on the Dubai World Cup (G1) undercard at Meydan Racecourse. The UAE Derby previously was part of the main Road to the Kentucky Derby, which otherwise was comprised of American heats. When Churchill Downs moved it to the Euro/Mideast series, it left the points on offer for that race at the 100-50-25-15-10 level. Since the Kempton and Dundalk races award only 20 points to the winner, the UAE Derby winner by default is the series winner and the runner-up in the race is also the runner-up in the series. The top two by points earned are extended invitations to the Run for the Roses but if either or both decline, the third and fourth on the list get an option. In 2024, Forever Young (JPN) won the UAE Derby and went on to finish third in Louisville, Ky., in a historic three-way photo with Mystik Dan and Sierra Leone. The antepost favorite in a six-horse field for the European Road to the Kentucky Derby Conditions Stakes is a Godolphin colt, Opera Ballo (IRE), who looked good enough in his only previous race to move on to bigger things with a repeat at Kempton. Those things, though, also are likely to be on grass. Opera Ballo is by Ghaiyyath (IRE), a son of Dubawi (IRE) who was a multiple group 1 winner on turf. Opera Ballo was a 1-2 favorite on debut going one mile on the Kempton all-weather and won by 8 1/2 lengths under a hands-and-heels ride by Billy Loughnane. Charlie Appleby dispatches William Buick to take the reins for the return. Appleby won the race in 2024 with Notable Speech (GB), who went on to win the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and Sussex Stakes (G1) on turf and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Del Mar.