Inamorato Seeks To Secure Reservation To Louisville In UAE Derby
By: John Gaver III

(Mar. 27, 2003) - Since 1994, using an international training program based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and North America, global Thoroughbred racing powerhouse Godolphin Racing Inc. has attempted to develop the formula for winning the Kentucky Derby (GI) on its terms. On Saturday, Mar. 29 at Nad al Sheba race course in Dubai, Godolphin will try to identify its representative for the 2003 "Run for the Roses" when the top-class outfit sends five horses postward in the $2 million (U.S. currency) UAE Derby (Gr. II), which will be contested at the same mile and a quarter distance as the May 3 Kentucky Derby.

At the forefront of the Godolphin quintet is the lightly-raced Inamorado, a dark bay or brown son of Tale of the Cat, who broke his maiden by a half-length over fellow UAE Derby entrant Outta Here at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. last summer and, more recently, tallied a commanding six-length win in the Al Bastikiya (Prestige) Stakes at Nad al Sheba on Mar. 8 in his 3-year-old debut.

The colt's trainer, Saeed bin Suroor, isn't worried if his charge can stay the UAE Derby's mile and a quarter trip. "In the past, the horses we have taken over to Churchill Downs have not had the necessary stamina, but everyone who has ridden this colt is convinced that he will get the trip."

Four other horses will carry the royal blue Godolphin colors in the race - Anasheed, second to Most Feared in last year's Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII) and 18 ¾ lengths off Inamorato in the Al Bastikiya; English-bred Songlark, a winner of two of three starts including the Group III Prix Thomas Byron in France; the English stakes winner Bourbonnais (Ire), third to Victory Moon (Saf) in the UAE 2000 Guineas (Gr. III) on Mar. 8 and the German-bred maiden winner Parhelion (Ger).

Several UAE Derby entrants are poised to give Godolphin's home team contingency a run for their money, led by a handful of Southern Hemisphere-bred 4-year-olds, who are allowed to compete in the UAE Derby but must give nine pounds to their Northern Hemisphere-bred, 3-year-old counterparts.

Seven of the 15 entrants in the field were bred in the Southern Hemisphere and heading the list is J. P. Reddam's Peasant, a classic winner in Argentina; WinStar Farm's Brazilian-bred Byzantium, a classic winner in his native country in 2002; Hard Buck, a Group I winner in Brazil; Victory Moon, winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas at Nad al Sheba on Feb. 13; West Point Thoroughbreds' Seattle Fitz, fifth of nine in the aforementioned UAE 2000 Guineas; Tangeriano (Arg), first or second in four-of-six starts lifetime and the Brazilian-bred Baccarat (Brz).

For the first time in the history of the UAE Derby, the United States will be represented by a 3-year-old as Bill Currin and Al Eisman's Outta Here, who finished second to Inamorato in his career debut at Hollywood Park last summer, will make his sophomore debut in the 10-furlongs race. The son of Dehere won the $500,000 Delta Jackpot Stakes at Delta Downs in his final start as a juvenile last December.

The complete field for the 2003 renewal of the Group II UAE Derby, in post position order with riders and weights is Outta Here, Kent Desormeaux, 119; Hard Buck, John Murtagh, 128; Byzantium (Brz), John Velazquez, 128; Bourbonnais (Ire), Jamie Spencer, 119; Inamorato, Frankie Dettori, 119; Victory Moon, Wayne Smith, 128; Seattle Fitz (Arg), Ramon Dominguez, 128; Peasant, Alex Solis, 128; Lundy's Lane, Kieren Fallon, 119; Tangeriano (Arg), Gary Hind, 128; Baccarat, Fausto Durso, 128; Anasheed, John Carroll, 119; Songlark (Ire), Kerrin McEvoy, 119; Rahaf (Ire), Kevin Darley, 119 and Parhelion (Ger), Richard Hills, 119.

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