The tenth race on the card this weekend in a card packed with graded races here in Dubai will be the Sand Castle Godolfin Mile (G3) over one mile on the dirt. The prestigious race is open to all horses of four years of age and up. The weather has been pristine early this week and this pattern is expected to continue throughout this weekend, so look for the track to be listed as fast at post time. The race has drawn nearly a full field with a lucky thirteen runners to start in this Saturday\u2019s Sand Castle Godolfin Mile. Lets take a look at the field in this year\u2019s Sand Castle Godolfin Mile.
Drawing the rail in the mile long race is Gridlockshock<\/b> (Forest Wildcat x Carson City x Chief\u2019s Crown), who is owned and trained by theodore2<\/i>, owner of Theo Stables Inc. The four year old bay colt has been very lightly raced and has a lucky thirteen career starts. The colt has won four of his thirteen lifetime starts along with four places and one show. All of the colts starts have come over the dirt. His most recent start came earlier this month in France during an eight furlong allowance caliber start. The colt went straight to the lead after breaking out of the start gate. He maintained his dominance of the race until the stretch where he ran out of steam in the final furlongs and was just edged out of the win in a photo finish where the bay colt was placed second. He recorded an impressive speed figure of one hundred twelve. The colts only stakes start has come in the listed Stupid Pie (IRE) Stakes last December where the colt finished sixth. This Saturday will mark the colts first attempt at graded stakes competition.
In the second post is Night Ranger (JPN)<\/b> (Stravinsky x Forty Niner x Danzig), who is out of the stakes-winning dam Night Train, and is owned by chop<\/i>, owner of Topicount Stables. The chestnut four year old colt has been lightly raced with a total of fifteen lifetime career starts. The chestnut colt has won twice in his career, both times over the dirt. His most recent start came last month in an allowance caliber race over eight furlongs overseas in Iowa. Here the colt finished second after just setting off the pace for the majority of the race. The colt has only finished out of the money once in his last eight starts, this coming on a good dirt track. One downfall for the colt may be inexperience as this Saturday will be the colts first stakes start, graded or otherwise.
Our favorite will be One Wild Cat<\/b> (Wild Again x Storm Cat x Seeking The Gold), who is out of the stakes-winning dam Grand Designs, and is owned by sdmf5<\/i>, owner of Black Label Stables. This six year old dark gray horse has had a total of forty-four career starts in his lifetime of racing. He has won a lucky thirteen of his starts, all of which have come over the dirt. The handsome horse has also amassed career earnings totaling up to $1,341,159. His most recent start came overseas in Delaware last month during the Duke Ali Cap where the horse broke out of the starting gate and was held just off the pace in second. He took the lead in the turn but was challenged later in the stretch and placed second in a photo in which he lost by a nose, though setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. The dark gray horse has had some very impressive speed figures lately including two one hundred thirteen and a one hundred and fifteen recorded in the Prims Memorial (G2), along with a one hundred sixteen in a listed stakes just a month earlier. This definitely will be a horse to watch in this years race.
At morning line odds of 8\/1 is Onemorefortheroad<\/b> (Broad Brush x Raise A Native x Forli), who is trained by hornedfrog3<\/i>, owner of Hornedfrog Stables. This is a handsome six year old brown horse who has had a total of forty-six lifetime career starts. The horse has won ten of these races and has finished second an additional ten times in his lifetime. His most recent start came earlier this month in the eight and a half furlong listed Skilled Sum Handicap where the horse broke out of the gate slowly and settled into the back of the field. He began to make his move on the turn. He finished second in the race but was only off the lead by one-fourth of a length. The horse recorded a speed figure of one hundred twelve. The colt hasn\u2019t finished out of the money in his last nine starts.
Next will be Lifeforce (IRE)<\/b> (North Light (IRE) x Lyphard x Roberto), who is trained and owed by lenny3<\/i>, owner of The Evil Empire. The Irish-bred bay four year old colt has been lightly raced with a total of nineteen career starts. Seven of these starts have resulted in victory for the accomplished colt. Three of these wins have come on the dirt, with another four wins on the turf, proving the colt versatile as well. His most recent start came in Denmark during an eight and a half furlong allowance caliber start. Here the colt broke out of the gate and was held just off the pace in second. In the turn he was urged forward and won the race by two and one-fourth lengths after setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. The colt is new to the dirt surface with only four starts on the dirt, through three of these have been wins. His only disappointment on the dirt came in his only stakes start over the surface, the listed Pro Sword Memorial where the colt finished twelfth.
Following will be Maximise<\/b> (Cryptoclearance x Red Ransom x Mill Reef), who is out of the race-winning dam Sevilla, and is owned by dragnil<\/i>, owner of The SAF Connection. The six year old chestnut horse has had a total of forty-four lifetime starts. Impressively, twelve of these races have ended in wins for the chestnut horse, all of which have come over a dirt track. His most recent start came in an eight furlong allowance caliber start last month in Epsom where the colt broke out of the starting gate in third and was held back until the turn where the horse went on to challenge and win the race by a length with a speed figure of one hundred nine. In his last eight starts the colt has finished out of the money only once, one of which came on a sloppy dirt track which was not to the horses liking.
Near the middle of the field will be Marfa Sun One (IRE)<\/b> (Daylami (IRE) x El Prado (IRE) x Marfa), who is trained by bartfarg3<\/i>, owner of Bartfarg Stables. The light gray mare of five years of age is the only mare entered to run in this Saturday\u2019s race. She has had a total of twenty-five career starts, of which seven have ended in victory for the mare. Six of these seven wins have taken place on the dirt, with the gray mare also emerging victorious once of the turf. Her most recent start came last month during an eight furlong allowance caliber start in Germany where the filly went up against the boys and finished fourth with a speed figure of ninety seven. Though formerly racing in three listed stakes caliber races, the mare has yet to face graded competition in her career as she will this Saturday. To date, her best stakes finish was a sixth place finish in the seven and a half furlong listed Bluster Miss NC Challenge this past January where she set another speed figure of ninety-seven against the ladies.
At odds of 9\/1 will be Valdesking (IRE)<\/b> (King Of Kings (IRE) x Seattle Slew x Mr. Prospector), who is out of the graded stakes winning dam Valdeslew, and is owned by valdes<\/i>, owner of Fernando Empire. The chestnut five year old horse has had a total of twenty-three career starts so far in his lifetime. Seventeen of these starts have been over the dirt and the horse has won five of these, but has also accomplished a single win over the turf. His most recent start came in November of last year here in Dubai on a sloppy dirt track during the Silver Blood Cap over eight furlongs. The horse won the race by three and a half-lengths and going away impressively with a speed figure of one hundred eleven. The horse has won two straight starts now, both of which came on off tracks. In fact, half of the horses victories have come on a sloppy track, perhaps giving indication to where the chestnut does his best running.
Next we have a late entry in Luciano<\/b> (Awesome Again x Seeking The Gold x Alydar), who is out of the race-winning dam Zia The Second, and is trained by fetti50<\/i>, owner of Fetti50. The chestnut five year old has a total of twenty-five career starts. Of these twenty-five starts the colt has won a total of eight of these races. All of the horses victories have come over a dirt track. His most recent start came last month during the ten furlong Fat Free T C Handicap where the horse broke out of the gate and settled off the pace in sixth before being sent forward to challenge in the turn. The horse finished second, just three-fourth lengths off the pace with the horse recording a speed figure of one hundred one. This horse has only finished out of the money once in his last eight career starts, including winning a race over a good dirt track. The horse has been steadily improving the past few weeks and may be one to keep an out for on Saturday.
Next is Watergate Scandal<\/b> (Empire Maker x Deputy Minister x Mr. Prospector), who is out of the race-winning dam Political Scandal, and is owned and trained by jonsnow<\/i>, owner of Given Stables. This Kentucky-bred four year old has been lightly raced with a total of just eighteen career starts. The colt has won eight times in his career, seven of these wins have come over the dirt thought he colt has also won once on the turf. His most recent start came last month in an allowance caliber start over seven furlongs in Arizona where the colt struck out on the lead out of the gate and never let up the pace and finished the race in the lead by an impressive three and three-fourth lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred two. In his eight most recent starts the brown colt has finished out of the money only twice.
Following will be King Happy<\/b> (King Of Kings (IRE) x Thatching (IRE) x Fappiano), who is out of the graded race winning dam Happy Skin (IRE), and is owned and trained by irishjack<\/i>, owner of Jackwiz Stables. The five year old bay horse has had a total of twenty-six career starts. The horse has only won two of these starts in his career and both have come over the dirt. The horses most recent start came last month in the grueling Moe Green Special (G3) over the turf. The horse broke out of the gate and settled into sixth and gradually dropped back in position the duration of the race, struggling with the surface change and crossing the wire in eleventh with a speed figure of eight six. By contrast, his most recent start on the dirt came in the eight and a half furlong listed Elk Wil Handicap where the horse finished second and set a speed figure of one hundred eight.
With odds of 8\/1 is Black<\/b> (Unbridled\u2019s Song x Storm Cat x Seeking The Gold), who is out of the stakes-placed dam Luck Be A Lady, and is owned by super5<\/i>, owner of More Evil Than The Evil Empire. The four year old dark gray colt has been lightly raced with a total of nineteen lifetime starts so far in his racing career. The dark gray colt has won three of these starts, all of which have been over the dirt. The colts most recent start came last month during the ten furlong listed Seattle That Arc Handicap. Here the colt broke out of the gate and slid into the sixth and hung just off the pace. The colt went on and began to pick off other horses early on in the race, but ultimately finished second in the race, back by a length, but setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. In his last eight starts, the colt has only finished off of the board in one race, this in December of last year in the listed Omaha Wood Bonanza.
With the far outside post is Automation<\/b> (Kingmambo x Nijinsky II x Roberto), who is trained by simsters6<\/i>, owner of The Evil Empire has had a total of twenty-one career starts in his lifetime. Seven of these starts have ended in wins for the muscular bay five year old horse. His most recent start came last month in a mile long allowance caliber start in California where the horse took off out of the gate and went straight to the lead in the race, but was caught in the stretch by a late closer to ultimately finish second by half a length, setting a speed figure of one hundred six. Though he may be considered a slight longshot in Saturday\u2019s race the horse has accomplished several wins, including a win the the Gravestone Cap (G3) last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One Wild Cat Set As Early Favorite<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-previews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5630\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btb.ehorseracing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}