|
|
Sheikhzayedroad survives foul claim in Northern Dancer Turf
Reporting Star had an eventful beginning to the Northern Dancer as well, for he reportedly bounced off the rail in the early going. Stein, who was noticeably jostled around, did well to stay aboard. Perched over his withers from that point on, Stein coaxed his mount along on the front end through fractions of :52, 1:17 4/5, 1:43 and 2:07 3/5. Sheikhzayedroad, last early after a tardy start, improved his position before Lane drove him onward into the stretch, and pointed him toward an inviting opening on the fence. The five-year-old stayed on strongly to overtake Reporting Star, but Dynamic Sky was also finishing fast on the outside. Despite veering out late, Sheikhzayedroad held Dynamic Sky at bay by a half-length, bumped him for good measure at the wire, and completed 1 1/2 miles on the good turf in 2:32 1/5. "Really pleased, lovely race to win," said Simcock, who later saddled Trade Storm to scoop a Grade 1 double in the Woodbine Mile. "He is a grand horse and tries really hard. He has his quirks. He runs about a bit, but that's normal for him. He did a lot worse when he was a younger horse, I assure you, and he never wins by far. He thinks he's done enough once he's got there. He's terrific." "The race couldn't have worked out any better," Lane said. "He was able to come around the reins-side all the way and when we straightened up he picked up all the way to the line for me. "He's gone to win real easy. He's probably got a length up." Dynamic Sky checked in three-quarters of a length in front of Reporting Star, who was tightened up when the winner took a starboard lurch. Villandry wound up another 4 1/2 lengths back in fourth, followed by The Pizza Man, Aldous Snow, Perfect Timber, Karibu Gardens and defending champion Forte Dei Marmi. Sheikhzayedroad paid $8.30 to win while advancing his line to 21-8-3-4, $501,880. Tenth in the 2012 Wood Ditton, the famed newcomers' event for three-year-olds at Newmarket, the bay won next time out at Hamilton and proceeded to learn his craft in handicaps. He was beaten by eventual Group 2 winners Thomas Chippendale and Universal, and by a future Cambridgeshire hero in Educate, but also scored three wins at that level in England. After Sheikhzayedroad landed a handicap on 2013 Derby Day at Epsom, he tried the Wolferton at Royal Ascot and finished a close second. He held his own at the Group 3 level when a troubled third in the Glorious at Goodwood, and signed off for the season following a ninth in the Ebor. Reappearing triumphant in a Meydan handicap on January 16, Sheikhzayedroad dropped his next three at the Dubai Carnival, including unplaced efforts in the March 8 Dubai City of Gold and the March 29 Dubai Gold Cup. But Dubai might have been the making of Sheikhzayedroad. He returned to England better than ever, missing by a nostril in the May 29 Brigadier Gerard before beginning his current winning streak. "He's a traveler," Simcock said. "He loves going to different places, Dubai, here and he'll go elsewhere in the future. "We've got an option of the (Canadian) International (at Woodbine) on the 19th (of October). He's got an entry (in the October 18 Champion Stakes) at Ascot. I'll speak to his owner and decide where he is going. We'll either come back here or go to Ascot and then he'll go to Dubai and start his travels again." Bred in Great Britain by Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd., Sheikhzayedroad is out of the winning Highest Honor mare Royal Secrets. His dam is a half-sister to Group 3-placed French stakes victor Vernoy as well as the unraced City Maiden, who produced Group 2 heroine First City. This is the family of Grade/Group 2 winners Lelouch and Idle Fancy, Grade 1 vixen Dreams Gallore, and at a further remove, Belmont Stakes heroes Colonial Affair (1993) and Union Rags (2012). Another maternal relative is Ball Dancing, winner of Saturday's Sands Point in her U.S. premiere. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
