Starting this Saturday’s (3/30/2024) Kentucky Derby prep races is the United Arab Emirates Derby. This race has entries from multiple countries. The Group 2 race will be held at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. This 1 and 3/16 mile dirt race has an $1 million dollar purse! The UAE Derby, inaugurated in 2000, is race 5 on the track’s card, posting at 9:50 AM ET. 100-50-25-15-10 points will be awarded to the first five finishers in respective order. The field is as follows by saddlecloth number, not post position, horse name (country of origin)- and points earned when applicable:
- Auto Bahn (ARG)
- Oasis Boy (ARG)
- Rock Walk (URU)
- Ballon D’ Or (JPN)
- Forever Young (JPN)-won 20 points finishing first in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushon on the Japanese Road to the KY Derby
- George Tesoro (JPN)- earned 5 points in the Cattleya on the Japanese Road to the KY Derby
- Guns and Glory (USA)
- Henry Adams (IRE)-won 2 points in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagarde on the European Road to the KY Derby
Killer Collect(USA)/scratched- Mendelssohn Bay (USA)
- Navy Seal (IRE) -earned 2 points in the Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford and 6 points in the Patton on the European Road to the KY Derby
- Pandagate (USA)
Santono Phoenix(JPN)/scratched-earned 2 points in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushon
Next, is the Grade I Florida Derby! Raced at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach , FL, this race posts at 6:42 PM ET. The 73rd Florida Derby is 14th on the card. It is a 1 and 1/8 mile dirt race. The purse is also $1 million dollars. 100-50-25-15-10 points will be awarded to the first five finishers in respective order. The entries are listed by post #. horse name (state of breeding)-and points earned when applicable:
- Frankie’s Empire (KY) -15 points from third in the Fountain of Youth
- Hades (FL)- 20 points from winning the Holy Bull
- Bail Us Out (KY)
- Grand Mo the First (KY) – 15 points from third in the Tampa Bay Derby
- Real Macho (KY)-10 points from fourth in the Fountain of Youth
- Le Dom Bro (KY)-25 points finishing second in the Fountain of Youth
- Catalytic (KY)
- Seminole Chief (FL)
- Conquest Warrior (KY)
- Fierceness (KY)-36 points from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile win and third in the Holy Bull
- Iris’s Dream
Then, The Grade I Arkansas Derby posts at 7:47 PM ET. This race has an $1.5 million dollar purse! The Arkansas Derby is raced at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. The 1 and 1/8 mile dirt race was inaugurated in 1936. 100-50-25-15-10 points will be awarded to the first five finishers in respective order. Race 12 on the card is as follows by post #. horse name (state of breeding)-and points earned when applicable:
- Will Take It (KY)
- Timberlake (KY) – 66 points from first in the Champagne, fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and first in the Rebel
- Dimatic (KY) -5 points from fifth in the Rebel
- Time for Truth (KY)
- Liberal Arts (KY) – 19 points from third in the Iroquis and in the Southwest plus first in the Street Sense
- Informed Patriot (KY) – 8 points from third in the Street Sense and Smarty Jones and fifth in the Sunland Derby
- Muth (KY)- trained by Bob Baffert thus does not qualify
- Just Steel (KY)- 15 points from second in the Smarty Jones and the Southwest
- Mystic Dan (KY) – 21 points from fifth in the Smarty Jones and first in the Southwest
- Imperial Gun (KY)
Finally, there is yet another race, across the pond! The Class 2 Cardinal Condition Stakes is part of the European Road To The Kentucky Derby. It is held at Chelmsford City Racecourse in Essex, England. The track is all-weather for this 1 mile race. 30-15-9-6-3 points will be awarded to the first five finishers in respective order.
Don’t miss all four races this Holy Saturday. Join in and unite with Derby desires. Thank you for reading Thoroughbred U. The excitement is mounting as we enter a week out from live racing at Keeneland!
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