Elusive Warning Upsets Burj Nahaar

Heavily-favored Asiatic Boy could do no better than third as 16-1 shot Elusive Warning gamely held off stablemate Blackat Blackitten to capture the Burj Nahaar by a half-length at Nad al Sheba Mar. 6.

Asiatic Boy entered the Burj Nahaar off of a victory in the Al Shindagha Sprint (UAE-III) Jan. 24, and was using this race as a prep for Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) on March 29. 

However, it was Elusive Warning who may have stamped his ticket for a run in the Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) on that evening. The 4-year-old son of Elusive Quality   took command with just over two furlongs out, and was able to hold off the determined drive of Blackat Blackitten.

Asiatic Boy made a threatening move in late stretch, but had to settle for third, another 2 3/4-lengths further back.  The final time for the mile over the dirt course was 1:35.43.

While obviously disappointed, Mike de Kock, trainer of Asiatic Boy, said after the race, “in hindsight, we’ve left him short, which caught us out a little. But we haven’t lost heart and we’re expecting massive improvement in the Dubai World Cup.”

Elusive Warning is out of Valid Warning, by Valid Appeal.  His second dam, Gilded Moment, is a full sister to champion 2-year-old, Gilded Time. Elusive Warning was bred in Kentucky by Robert Raphaelson, and was purchased by Godolphin as a weanling at the 2004 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.