Sand Castle Wrap Up

Awesome Force looks like he will be a player this year in the older handicap division. Kirby’s Best Yet gets back on track in the Turf Classic. In a Simple Rhyme wins by a nose in the sprint while long shot Katie’s Jones wins the Fee Duty.  

Race: 3532.5115 Sand Castle Classic – Grade I – $6,000,000
Track: Dubai
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Dirt

Awesome Force finds his form at the right time beating a very good group of runners and winning a whole lot of sim cash. Awesome Force won the last two legs of the sim triple crown last year but failed to beat his older rivals in the Breeder’s Bowl. His first two starts this year where not horrible but they where just off for what would be expected of him. Now the expectations for him have grown with this victory.

Awesome Force was where he always is in races towards the back of the field almost ten lengths off the early pace. He moved up quickly around the turn getting into fifth position and once in the stretch he found another gear grinding away at Gracepoint Prayer while at the same time out dueling reigning horse of the year Solar Song to win by one length at the wire.

Solar Song making his forty fourth career start showed he still has some left in the tank. He did not really run all that well in his first two starts of the year. He was third in both starts but he faced weaker competition and never threatened. I guess he saves it all up for the big events. He kept company with Awesome Force for most of the race. He just could not match Awesome Force’s strides late having to settle for a second place finish. That pushes his career earnings over the sixteen million mark for his career.

Gracepoint Prayer missed in his bid of winning the California Handicap and Sand Castle Classic double. Gracepoint Prayer was closer to the pace today than usual. In fact he took the lead at the half way point. He took a two length lead into the stretch. He just did not have enough in the tank to hold off the top two as he got caught in deep stretch. He had to settle for third two and three quarters of a length behind the winner.

Race: 3532.5114 Sand Castle Fee Duty – Grade I – $2,000,000
Track: Dubai
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf

A pair of long shots tackle the top two spots in the Fee Duty. Five year old Katie’s Jones seemingly comes from nowhere to dominate this field by two and a quarter lengths. Sure this son of Smarty Jones had one race in a listed stakes race several races back that showed he was capable of the type of speed figure to win a race like this. Still he had never won a graded stakes prior to this race and was entering the race off of a fourth place finish at the listed stakes level. Today was his day though as he pressed the early pace. He took control at the half way point while drawing away to a four length lead at the top of the stretch. He cruised from there never being threatened to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Tara was a four year old mare running against the boys at odds of eighteen to one. She was making her first start in more than three months. Her last race was a grade one win on Del Pen Champions day. This mare was as good on paper as most of the boys here and she proved that. In the early stages she was mid pack about seven lengths off the early pace. She moved up on the turn and made a bid in the stretch. She just lacked the extra kick to take down the winner having to settle for second.

The favorite Sip of Saki was left holding the bag in third. The very consistent Sip of Saki turned in another honest effort. He was mid pack early more than nine lengths from the early pace. He moved passed some runners on the turn but did not really start to gain on the leader until he got into the stretch. From there he was picking up lots of ground he just had too much to do. He would finish third three lengths from the winner.

Race: 3532.5113 Sand Castle Golden Turf Classic – Grade I – $2,000,000
Track: Dubai
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf

Last year’s Derby de English winner Kirby’s Best Yet claims his first grade one win since the Derby de English. At the beginning of last year Kirby’s Best Yet was a possible heir to the long list of good three year old long distance turf runners who go on to dominate. Something went amiss with him in the last part of the year. He would be competitive but he was no longer winning easily. This year he started out with a pair of listed stakes races winning one and finishing second in the other prior to this race. Today he showed he belonged running a career best race while beating the co favorites in the race.

Kirby was mid pack less than eight lengths off the early pace. He made a big move in the second part of the race moving up to third as the runners entered the stretch. From there he powered home to win by two and three quarters lengths.

Rapid Grey ran a big one at a mile and a half for the first time in a while but ran up against a horse that was just a little better today. Rapid Grey was well off the early pace almost fifteen lengths off the pace. He made his big closing move late in the race to get by his co favorite in the stretch to finish second.

Rosenthal was the other co favorite in the race. He was stalking the early pace never more than two lengths from the early pace. He moved up and took the lead at the top of the stretch but that would be short lived. He ran his race but lacked the needed kick in the stretch to hold off the top two finishers. He held third by half a length finishing six and a half lengths behind the winner.

Race: 3532.5112 Sand Castle Golden Sprint – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: Dubai
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: Six furlongs on the Dirt

In a Simple Rhyme out kicked the favorite in the late stages to get up by a nose on the wire. This five year old continues to maintain his top form. He is no spring chicken and his experience may have been the difference in this race. In a Simple Rhyme was toward the back of he pack early in the race but he was not far off the pace. Sitting just under seven lengths from the early pace at the three furlong mark he started making his move. He closed to within three lengths at the top of the stretch and kept moving forward. He just kept gaining ground and in the final jump got his nose on the wire just ahead of the favorite for his eleventh career win.

Lannister Gold had to settle for second after running a beauty of a race. Lannister Gold was toward the back but only four and a half lengths off the early pace. He moved up to at the top of the stretch and battled his way to the lead in deep stretch. His battle was not over as he got caught at the very last moment. Lannister Gold is a runner worth watching this year in this division. He is four and is in the prime of his racing career.

Hennessy Titans his third straight good race. He has not won in those three starts but the six year old has been running some top speed figures. He was sixth early on in this race a little more than three lengths off the pace. He moved up in the stretch but would be passed by Lannister Gold. He stayed on well battling his way to the wire holding on for third a length and a quarter from the winner.