Globetrotter Jakkalberry led in the final 100 meters to defeat 3-5 favorite Await the Dawn and Cavalryman in the $250,000 Dubai City Of Gold Sponsored by Emirates SkyCargo (UAE-II), one of seven Thoroughbred stakes on the Super Saturday card March 9 at Meydan.
Winner of the 2010 Gran Premio de Milano (Ity-I), the 7-Year-old Storming Home horse was making his first start of the year for trainer Marco Botti. He finished third to Fox Hunt in last year's Nad al Sheba Trophy at Meydan before placing third to Cirrus des Aigles in the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I). He could be pointed to this year's Dubai Sheema Classic or the Dubai Gold Cup (UAE-III), both the Dubai World Cup undercard March 30.
Await the Dawn and Cavalryman took turns on the early lead before Treble Jeg, who broke slowly, gained control with more than a mile to run and laid down a very leisurely tempo from there with Jakkalberry tracking from fourth in the eight-horse field.
Cavalryman willingly took charge on the home turn and dueled with Await the Dawn in the stretch. Jakkalberry had plenty of energy in reserve and uncoiled a strong outside rally to take charge in the final 100 meters and score by a half-length from Await the Dawn. Cavalryman was third, a short head back.
Jakkalberry covered 2,410 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) on turf in 2:35.36 at 5-1 odds and took his record 11 wins, two seconds, and four third from 28 career starts.
Jakkalberry had only one win in seven starts in 2012: the inaugural American St. Leger, at 1 11/16 miles last summer at Arlington Park. Third to Green Moon in the 3,200-meter (about two-mile) Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-I) in November at Flemington, he closed the year with disappointing 11th-place finish in the Japan Cup (Jpn-I).
Irish-bred Jakkalberry is out of the winning Barathea mare Claba di San Jore and is a half brother to Italian group I winner Crackerjack King and two other stakes winners.
Reynaldothewizard stamped himself a serious contender for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) on the Dubai World Cup undercard when he comfortably defeated Krypton Factor in the $200,000 Mahab Al Shimaal Sponsored By Emirates Skywards (UAE-III).
Reynaldothewizard provided trainer Mike de Kock back-to-back sprint victories on the Super Saturday card following a course-record performance bySouth Africa's Shea Shea one race earlier in the $175,000 Meydan Sprint Sponsored By Emirates Holidays.
Ridden by Richard Mullen for trainer Satish Seemar, Zabeel Racing International's Reynaldothewizard overtook pacesetter Ganas to lead 300 meters out and cruised to a dominant four-length win from Krypton Factor, who had every chance from the 600-meter mark but could not catch the winner. Krypton Factor won last year's edition of the race before capturing the Dubai Golden Shaheen.
Reynaldothewizard was timed in 1:11.89 for 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) on the all-weather surface to win at 11-1 odds in North American pools hosted by Kentucky-based AmWest Entertainment.
The 7-year-old Kentucky-bred Speightstown gelding, third in the 2008 Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II), earned his first stakes win in the Mahab Al Shimaal following his victory over Balmont Mast and Ganas in a conditions race at the same track and distance Jan. 24. He improved his overall record to six wins, a second, and two third from 17 starts.
Ganas faded to fifth in the Mahab Al Shimaal; Balmont Mast checked in third after racing in last place early in the 10-horse field.
Reynaldothewizard, who is out of the stakes-winning Meadowlake mare Holiday Runner, was at $775,000 purchased by Zabeel Racing from the Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-olds in training sale. He is a half brother to multiple grade I winner Seventh Street.
Godolphin's Secret Number took charge from Zahee 200 meters out and drew clear to win the $250,000 Al Bastakiya Sponsored By Emirates Skywards, the second jewel in the United Arab Emirates Triple Crown.
Making only his second career start after scoring in his debut at Kempton in October, Secret Number was slow into stride but led in the final 100 meters after dispatching more experienced rival Zahee, who had taken charge 400 meters out. He cruised to a two-length triumph under Kieren Fallon while covered 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles) in 2:01.35.
Zahee, who entered off a third to Soft Falling Rain in the United Arab Emirates Two Thousand Guineas Feb. 14, hung on for second, outfinishing Guineas runner-up and 2-1 favorite Snowboarder by 1 3/4 lengths.
Secret Number covered 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles) in 2:01.35.
"There's a lot more to come," Fallon said about Secret Number, who is trained by Saeed bin Suroor and is a candidate for the $2 million United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-II) March 30.
Secret Number joins United Arab Emirates One Thousand Guineas winner Lovely Pass as the second classic winner at the 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival for Darley sire Raven's Pass. The bay colt is out of the Alleged mare Mysterial, dam of European group I winners Librettist and Dubai Destination. The family includes Japanese champion sprinter and miler Hishi Akebono and European group I winner Agnes Digital.
The first Thoroughbred stakes on the card was the Meydan Sprint won in course record time by South African multiple group I winner and 9-5 favorite Shea Shea, who powered on the grandstand side rail to a 2 1/2-length win.
The 5-year-old National Emblem gelding was timed in :57.02 for the 1,000 meter (about five-furlong) turf race. English group I winner Sole Power, second in last year's edition of the race, finished second again, a length in front of Russian Soul.