Desert Party , a Kentucky-bred colt who has made the same number of starts in Dubai as he has in the United States, will try to make it two straight in Dubai as he takes on 13 rivals in the $1 million Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Etisalat (UAE-II) March 27 at Meydan Racecourse.
The Godolphin Mile is race 3 on the World Cup card and will go to post at about 9:55 a.m. EDT.
One of three runners in the race for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin, Desert Party comes off a 1 1/4-length triumph in the March 3 Derrinstown Stud Elnadim Mahab Al Shimaal (UAE-III) at six furlongs in his first race since he finished unplaced in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) last May. Following the classic, Desert Party was sidelined after undergoing surgery for the removal of a bone chip.
The son of 2002 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) winner Street Cry boasts three other on-the-board finishes in Dubai, including a score in last year’s Gulf News U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-III) at a mile. He also ran second in the 2009 Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group U.A.E. Derby (UAE-II).
Godolphin’s other contestants competed in the Derrinstown Stud Alhaarth Burj Nahaar (UAE-III) at a mile on the same card as the Derrinstown Stud Elnadim Mahab Al Shimaal. Calming Influence, an Irish-bred son of King's Best, finished third, and Skysurfers, bred in Great Britain and sired by E Dubai, finished fifth.
The first two finishers in the Derrinstown Stud Alhaarth Burj Nahaar also will give it a go in the Godolphin Mile. Finishing one-two were Cat Junior, a Kentucky-bred son of Storm Cat, and Irish-bred Green Coast, by Green Desert.
The $10 million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), $5 million Guangsha Group Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I), and $5 million Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) will be drawn March 24.
$1 million Godolphin Mile (UAE-II, Race 3, 9:55 a.m. EDT), 4-year-olds and up, 126 pounds, 1 mile (Tapeta)
Post Horse Jockey
1. Kalhari Gold (Ire), R. Hills
2. Cat Junior (USA), J. Spencer
3. Le Drakkar (Aus), C. Sanchez
4. Calming Influence (Ire), A. Ajtebi
5. Glorious Noah (Jpn), S. Kobayashi
6. Lucky Find (SAf), K. Shea
7. Consul General (GB), A. Gryder
8. Vesuve (Ire), W. Smith
9. Jet Express (SAf), R. Ffrench
10. Forgotten Voice (Ire), R. Moore
11. Desert Party (USA), L. Dettori
12. Skysurfers (GB), T. Duncan
13. Summit Surge (Ire), K. Fallon
14. Green Coast (Ire), T. O’Shea
