THIS OWNER HAS MYSTERIOUS WAYS.Byline: KEVIN MODESTI He's portrayed as arrogant, if not ignorant, for believing his horses can win America's greatest thoroughbred race after training in the Dubai desert and skipping the traditional Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. preps. But the image must be wrong. Either that, or the bearded man striding across the Churchill Downs Churchill Downs, Ky.: see Louisville. backstretch back·stretch n. The part of an oval racecourse farthest from the spectators and opposite the homestretch. in the royal-blue cable-knit sweater, jeans and silver-spurred boots Thursday morning must have been an impostor. No, it was Sheikh sheikh or shaykh Among Arabic-speaking tribes, especially Bedouin, the male head of the family, as well as of each successively larger social unit making up the tribal structure. The sheikh is generally assisted by an informal tribal council of male elders. Mohammed al Maktoum Al Maktoum (المكتوم in Arabic) is the family name of the ruling dynasty of the emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Al Maktoum family is a branch of the Bani Yas tribe (a lineage the family shares with the Al Nahyan dynasty of Abu , the world's most powerful racehorse racehorse refers usually to thoroughbred but may also include standardbred, trotter. owner as well as the defense minister of Dubai. The Sheikh was here to watch Worldly Manner and Aljabr go through their final workouts before Saturday's Derby - Worldly Manner is the colt he bought in California for $5 million - and to win over some of his detractors. Arrogant? Ignorant? Instead, the 50-year-old Mohammed came off as fully aware of the mountainous challenge facing the two mystery colts. ``I'm hoping to win. I'm not saying I'm going to win,'' the Sheikh, who is Cambridge-educated, said in a rare give-and-take with reporters. As for U.S. trainers who question the colts' preparation: ``I don't blame them,'' he said. ``They are experts and they have their own way of training horses.'' The American way The American way of life is an expression that refers to the "life style" of people living in the United States of America. It is an example of a behavioral modality, developed from the 17th century until today. involves testing a Derby prospect's ability in major autumn 2-year-old races, a short winter break, and three or four pre-Derby races of progressively greater distance at 3. The Sheikh Mohammed way involves halting his colts' 2-year-old seasons in September, taking them to his lavish Godolphin training center in Dubai and prepping them with dress-rehearsal ``trial races'' at Nad al Sheba racetrack. To Americans, that's reminiscent of Arazi, the brilliant 1991 2-year-old who returned to France, prepped with a single turf race there, then finished eighth in the Derby. The Sheikh was a co-owner of Arazi. To Europeans, it's more reminiscent of Lammtarra, who won the 1-1/2-mile English Derby in his 3-year-old debut. The Sheikh was the owner of Lammtarra. Now that they're in Kentucky, Worldly Manner and Aljabr each is trying to be the first foreign-based horse since Venezuela's Canonero II Canonero II (1968-1981), (in Spanish: Cañonero II) was a Venezuelan champion thoroughbred race horse. Bred by Edward B. Benjamin in Kentucky, the bay colt was born with a noticeably crooked foreleg, and as such was considered to have no future in racing. in '71 and the first horse without a race at age 3 since Morvich in '22 to win the Derby. Another first: They're the first horses ever entered in the Kentucky Derby by the Sheikh's Godolphin Racing Godolphin Racing Inc. operates Thoroughbred horse racing stables in Dubai and England. They take their name from the Godolphin Arabian. The organisation, whose first full year of operation was in 1995, is based in both Dubai and Newmarket, United Kingdom, and was set up by Inc., which has dominated the European classics. Meaning he could alter the routine in future years, if it doesn't work this time. He doesn't think the unorthodox preparation automatically puts his horses at a disadvantage. But he said it was devised in part out of necessity - Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor Saeed bin Suroor (born October 10, 1967, Dubai), is a horse racing trainer. Formerly a policeman, he took out his training license in 1994 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation. had to prepare horses for the European season as well and couldn't spend weeks in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . ``We love challenges,'' the Sheikh said. ``And we are learning.'' If his colts lose Saturday, ``I'll be disappointed,'' he said. ``Then I'll say, `Well, I'll come back next year.' '' The Sheikh said his goal is to win the Kentucky Derby in the next four years. In that pursuit he has one big advantage: He can purchase any horse whose owner is willing to sell. San Diego's John and Betty Mabee were willing when Mohammed offered $5 million for Worldly Manner after the Bob Baffert-trained son of Riverman won the Del Mar Futurity The Del Mar Futurity is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Beginning in the racing season of 2007, this race has been upgraded by the American Graded Stakes Committee from a Grade II event to a Grade I. by five lengths on Sept. 9. The Mabees and Baffert will have General Challenge - and maybe the filly Excellent Meeting - in the Derby. Baffert said the Sheikh ``quizzed me about the Derby'' when the trainer was in Dubai with Silver Charm in March. Now the Sheikh is feeling Derby Fever himself, Baffert said. ``He said it's unbelievable how people get into it (in Kentucky). He's like a little kid. He's a very down-to-earth guy . . . for a defense minister.'' Mohammed said he has studied videotapes of 20 Derbies. And he appreciates the race's Americana, including ``My Old Kentucky Home.'' ``Yes, yes, it's very emotional,'' he said. ``What do they say - `The sun shines bright . . .?' '' He was at Churchill Downs before sun-up Thursday to watch the 5-furlong workouts by Worldly Manner (1:02) and Aljabr (1:02 3/5) - showing improvement over their Sunday drills. More unorthodoxy: The last Derby starter to work 5 furlongs two days before the race was Explosive Wagon, who finished 15th behind Sunny's Halo in 1983. Some Americans have praised Godolphin's methods and its horses. Trainer Richard Mandella returned from Dubai, where he watched one of the horses' trials, to say it was ``not just a little workout. It was a race by any standards.'' Jockey Gary Stevens said Worldly Manner's physique has filled out since his Del Mar days. Such testimonials might come too late to convince American bettors. Worldly Manner and Aljabr, coupled for wagering, are 12-1 on the Derby morning line. But their owner, once thought to be arrogant or ignorant, certainly changed some minds Thursday. A WEEK AT THE RACES At The Races is a British television channel, originally co-founded with Channel 4, but now owned by a partnership between British Sky Broadcasting, Arena Leisure PLC and 28 (out of the 59) UK racecourses. Hollywood Park leaders: Jockeys (through Wednesday): Alex Solis, 6 wins; Laffit Pincay and Gary Stevens, 4; Kent Desormeaux and Chris McCarron, 2. Trainers: Jerry Dutton, 3; six tied with 2. Handicapper hand·i·cap·per n. Sports & Games 1. One who assigns handicaps. 2. One who predicts the winners in a horserace, especially one who publishes such predictions as a guide for bettors. Noun 1. helper: Only 3 fillies have won the Kentucky Derby in the 1900s. But only 28 have tried. So the winning percentage for fillies (10.7 percent) actually is higher than for colts and geldings (7.7 percent). On the stakes schedule: At Hollywood Park: Saturday - $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap The Mervyn LeRoy Handicap is a race for Thoroughbred horses run at Hollywood Park Racetrack each year. Open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt, the Mervyn LeRoy is a prep to the Hollywood Gold Cup. , 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles; $250,000 Snow Chief, 3-year-olds bred in California, 1-1/8 miles. Sunday - $75,000 Fastness Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 1-1/8 miles on turf. At Churchill Downs: today - $500,000 Kentucky Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 1-1/8 miles, and three other stakes; Saturday - $1 million Kentucky Derby, 3-year-olds, 1-1/4 miles; $300,000 Early Times Turf Classic, 3-year-olds and up, 1-1/8 miles, and four other stakes. At Aqueduct: Sunday - $200,000 Carter Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 7 furlongs. Mileposts: Hollywood Park will open its gates at 7:30 a.m. Saturday to take wagers on Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby program, which starts at 8:30. Hollywood Park's first live race is scheduled for noon. . . . Event of the Year faces Wild Wonder in the LeRoy. . . . Hollywood Park will return its first post time to 1 p.m. starting Wednesday ``for the convenience of patrons.'' . . . Laffit Pincay's four winners Wednesday moved him within 98 of Bill Shoemaker's record 8,833. . . . Randy Valdez, on his last day as an apprentice, rode $45.80 winner Queenoftheprom. . . . California-based Hawksley Hill will be favored in the Early Times at Churchill Downs on Saturday. He returns to the course where he finished second to Da Hoss in the 1998 Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. The race's current title sponsor is John Deere. . . . . Kelly Kip, Aqueduct's 6-furlong record holder (1:07.54), will miss the Carter with a hock hock: see wine. infection, trainer Allen Jerkens said. . . . They all start out as long shots: The 20 3-year-olds in the Kentucky Derby came from a 1996 U.S. thoroughbred foal foal a junior horse from birth to one year. May be filly foal, colt foal. foal ataxia see enzootic equine incoordination. crop that numbered 32,212, according to the Jockey Club. General Challenge was one of 3,190 bred in California. - Kevin Modesti CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (Color) Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, owner of Derby entrants Aljabr and Worldly Manner, at Thursday's workouts. Timothy D. Easley/Associated Press Box: A WEEK AT THE RACES (See text) |
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