Veteran sprinter Reynaldothewizard has found some magic.
After opening the year at Meydan with back to back wins, including the first stakes victory of his racing career, the 7-year-old Speightstown gelding reached racing's highest level March 30 in posting a neck victory in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News (UAE-I).
Jockey Richard Mullen guided Reynaldothewizard to victory in both previous wins this year, including what turned out to be a key edition of the Mahab Al Shimaal Sponsored by Emirates Skywards (UAE-III). He confidently handled Zabeel Racing International's Reynaldothewizard in the 1,200-meter (about six-furlong) Golden Shaheen. Zabeel is the racing operation of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed al Maktoum, the oldest son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.
Reynaldothewizard raced about three or four wide in the turn before moving first turning for home. That jump on the competition proved to be enough as Reynaldothewizard held off a major upset bid from 76-1 Balmont Mast, a stakes winner in Ireland who finished second, and last year's Golden Shaheen winner Krypton Factor, who settled for third a half-length back.
"I had the perfect trip. He was always traveling well. He gave me everything in the straight," Mullen said. "This is the best winner of my career. It's unbelievable and I'm so happy for (trainer Satish Seemar) and all his team, and Zabeel Racing, his owners. I'm overjoyed."
The Mahab Al Shimaal proved a key race as Krypton Factor finished second to Reynaldothewizard and Balmont Mast third in that March 9 race contested at the Golden Shaheen distance.
Bred in Kentucky by Gibraltar Group, Reynaldothewizard began his career in the U.S. with trainer Eoin Harty. He finished third in the 2008 Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II) as a juvenile. After his 3-year-old season, Reynaldothewizard was moved to Seemar's Dubai-based stable. The three straight wins this season follow a winless campaign in four 2012 starts.
U.S.-based Trinniberg , the 3-1 second-choice in U.S. pools, and Private Zone both finished off the board. Sherry Parbhoo's Trinniberg, who was trying to become the first horse to win the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) and the Golden Shaheen, challenged early and faded to 11th. Good Friends Stable's Private Zone also was in the mix early before fading to ninth.
Willie Martinez, jockey on Trinniberg, believes the champion sprinter will bounce back.
"He's run OK off a long layoff and he handled the track OK," Martinez said. "We'll get him home and there will be other days."
In U.S. pari-mutuel pools, Reynaldothewizard returned $21.40 to win and $5.60 in the place-show pool. Balmont Mast, sent off at 76-1, returned $24.60 to place-show and the $1 exacta (5-6) returned $223.50. Krypton Factor returned $7.40 to place-show. The top three finishers are all geldings.
Godolphin Racing's Mental, a group I winner in Australia and sent off the 2-1 favorite, finished 10th.
Out of Holiday Cheer, a daughter of Meadowlake who won a pair of stakes as a juvenile, Reynaldothewizard is a half brother to two-time grade I winner Seventh Street, by Street Cry; and grade II placed American Story, by Ghostzapper .
