Two Step Salsa rolls in Godolphin Mile

Two Step Salsa led home a one-two for Godolphin (Dubai Racing Club)

Godolphin, appropriately enough, looked to have the upper hand in Saturday’s
$1 million Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2), and the form book did not deceive, as
Frankie Dettori guided TWO STEP SALSA (Petionville) to a convincing victory over
stablemate Gayego (Gilded Time). In so doing, Godolphin snapped a lengthy
drought on Dubai World Cup night, dating back to 2006, and etched an indelible
memory of the final night of racing at Nad al Sheba.

Two Step Salsa proved to be the speed of the speed, prevailing in the pace
battle before winning the war. The dark bay held a narrow lead while racing
between horses, with Cat Junior (Storm Cat) prominent along the rail and Dijeerr (Danzig) pressing the issue on the outside.

At the top of the stretch, Two Step Salsa delivered the coup de grace and
rapidly poached a couple of lengths on the field. Gayego, who had been stalking
just off the pace, commenced a rally, but he never posed a serious danger to the
winner. Two Step Salsa safely maintained a 2 1/2-length margin of victory,
completing the about one mile in 1:36 4/5 on the fast track.

“I was lucky that they allowed me a soft lead in front and nothing was
snapping at my heels, but this is a good horse and he quickened up really well,”
Dettori said. “I hoped I was on the right one, and fortunately I was.”

Dettori executes one last flying dismount at Nad al Sheba (Dubai Racing Club)

Don Renato (Edgy Diplomat) closed from far back to claim third in a
photo-finish, replicating his performance here one year ago. Summer Doldrums
(Street Cry [Ire]) was a short head away in fourth, with Brave Tin Soldier
(Storm Cat) another nose back in fifth.

“My horse had a good start and we went very easy in the first part,” said Don
Renato’s jockey, Wigberto Ramos. “I knew that he couldn’t keep up with the
speed. At about the 500 meters mark, I started to go toward the leaders and he
gave me a good run at the end. I am very pleased with his race.”

Tiz Now Tiz Then (Tiznow) came next, followed by Informed (Tiznow), Green
Coast (Green Desert), Dijeerr, Art of War (Kahal [GB]), Kalahari Gold (Trans
Island), Al Morhij (Race Leader), Cat Junior, Golden Arrow (Danehill) and Lucky
Find (Rich Man’s Gold)

Two Step Salsa improved his record to 10-6-2-1, $1,076,540. He is now
two-for-two for Saeed bin Suroor, having captured an about six-furlong allowance
at Nad al Sheba in his first start for Godolphin on February 20. Previously
trained by Julio Canani, Two Step Salsa landed the Laz Barrera Memorial S. (G3)
and Affirmed H. (G3), placed second in the Swaps S. (G2), and third in the
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile to Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) runner Albertus Maximus
(Albert the Great).

Bred by Everest Stables in Kentucky, Two Step Salsa is out of the unraced
Seattle Slew mare Two to Waltz. He has two full brothers, an unnamed juvenile
and a yearling. This is the family of French champion San San (Bald Eagle),
queen of the 1972 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1).