ACCOMPLISH

REFLECTING - Dubai World Cup favourite ALBERTUS MAXIMUS checks out some friends on the track yesterday morning - here he's watching the grey butt of KIP DEVILLE jog away from him. Kip Deville competes in the DUBAI DUTY FREE on Saturday at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

Vanessa Ng photo and see more and read a lot of cool notes at www.horse-races.net.




(At right, GODOLPHIN MILE favourite TWO STEP SALSA is pumped up for his run against stablemate GAYEGO.
Vanessa Ng photo)













WORLD CUP CARD - Watch and wager on HPI TV beginning at 9:40 a.m. on SATURDAY.

If you are a racing fan, then Saturday morning will be a whirlwind.

There are numerous storylines during the DUBAI WORLD CUP CARD at Nad al Sheba - the UAE Derby: does DESERT PARTY earn a trip to the Kentucky Derby? The Golden Shaeen, can fleet American filly INDIAN BLESSING win the straightaway race?

Does Canadian International winner MARSH SIDE get his stuff together for the Sheema Classic?

Saturday, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai
DUBAI WORLD CUP-G1, $6,000,000, 4yo/up, 2000m
PP HORSE SIRE TRAINER

1 Muhannak (Ire) Chester House Beckett
2 Arson Squad Brahms Dutrow Jr
3 Snaafy Kingmambo al Muhairi
4 Asiatic Boy (Arg) Not for Sale (Arg) de Kock
5 Happy Boy (Brz) Ski Champ bin Shafya
6 Gloria de Campaeo (Brz) Impression (Arg) Bary
7 Well Armed Tiznow Harty
8 Casino Drive Mineshaft Fujisawa
9 Joe Louis (Arg) Lode Barton
10 Albertus Maximus Albert the Great McLaughlin
11 Muller (Arg) El Compinche (Arg) Bruss
12 Anak Nakal Victory Gallop Zito
13 Paris Perfect (SAf) Muhtafal Bruss
14 My Indy (Arg) Indygo Shiner bin Suroor
All carry 126 pounds.



(Photo at right, the draw for the WORLD CUP card is held at
the Madinat Jumeirah Resort which is "a gorgeous castle like building in a complex that includes the resort, shopping, and meeting facilities. Part of the facilities is the Burj Al Arab hotel, the world's tallest all suite hotel which resembles a sailboat and has any luxury you can imagine." Vanessa Ng photo.

(For fields of all races see www.drf.com)


FLORIDA DERBY
BEETHOVEN INJURED, LIKELY OUT UNTIL SUMMER

Beethoven was not entered in Saturday's Florida Derby and may be out of the Kentucky Derby picture as well.
Trainer John Ward said the Sky Mesa colt has some heat in a left front tendon.

FLORIDA DERBY-GI, $750,000, 3yo, 1 1/8m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY

1 Toby the Coal Man Mineshaft Leparoux
2 Quality Road Elusive Quality Velazquez
3 Casey's On Call Gimmeawink Baird
4 Dunkirk Unbridled's Song Gomez
5 Sincero Repent Trujillo
6 Theregoesjojo Brahms Desormeaux
7 Danger to Society Harlan's Holiday Madrid
8 Europe Unbridled's Song DeCarlo
9 Stately Character Pleasant Tap Douglas


FROM LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL
STRAPPED FOR CASH, DUNKIRK NEEDS WIN
Ky. Derby hopes ride on Fla. Derby purse

By Jennie Rees • jrees@courier-journal.comThe Courier-Journal • March 26, 2009

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- Gambling on a horse is nothing new for thoroughbred owners Michael Tabor, John Magnier and Derrick Smith, who together paid a world-record $16.2 million for a 2-year-old -- The Green Monkey -- who never won a race.

So coughing up $3.7 million to purchase Dunkirk, the 9-5 favorite for Saturday's Florida Derby, as a yearling in 2007 was more or less chump change.

But now those partners and trainer Todd Pletcher are taking what in some ways is a more imposing gamble.

The 11/8-mile, Grade I Florida Derby will be Dunkirk's only chance to collect enough graded-stakes earnings to make the Kentucky Derby field if more than 20 horses are entered.

Dunkirk, the top price at Keeneland's 2007 September yearling sale, has raced only twice, winning a Jan. 24 maiden race by 53/4 lengths after breaking slowly and encountering traffic, and a 11/8-mile allowance race by 43/4 Feb. 19 after being extremely wide on the first turn.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090326/SPORTS08/903260447


Kentucky Derby Graded Stakes Earnings
Compiled by Churchill's Ben Huffman (Through Mar. 24)

Horse Trainer Graded $

Square Eddie (Smart Strike) O'Neill $774,981
Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) Baffert $743,250
Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy) Jones $570,465
Vineyard Haven (Lido Palace {Chi}) bin Suroor $417,500
Terrain (Sky Mesa) Stall $410,830
Old Fashioned (Unbridled’s Song) Jones $330,000
I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even) Mullins $324,000
Hold Me Back (Giant’s Causeway) Mott $288,000
Desert Party (Street Cry {Ire}) bin Suroor $241,667
West Side Bernie (Bernstein) Breen $235,160
Chocolate Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}) Hollendorfer $220,000
Bittel Road (Stormy Atlantic) Pletcher $211,000
*Musket Man (Yonaguska) Ryan $200,000
Crowded House (GB) (Rainbow Quest) Meehan $195,020
The Pamplemousse (Kafwain) Canani $180,000
*Win Willy (Monarchos) Robertson $180,000
Papa Clem (Smart Strike) G Stute $160,000
Charitable Man (Lemon Drop Kid) McGlaughlin $150,000
*Quality Road (Elusive Quality) J Jerkens $150,000
Mine That Bird (Birdstone) Woolley $138,705
*Not nominated to Kentucky Derby.


ORC makes changes to Triactor and Superfecta Wagering

from press release

The Board of the Ontario Racing Commission has approved new directives dealing with triactor and superfecta wagering, reducing the number of betting interests required for the featured bet types to be permitted.
For triactor wagering, the required number of separate betting interests has been reduced from six to five. For superfecta wagering the required number of separate betting interests has been reduced from eight to seven for all races other than stakes races. No change was made to the number required for stakes races, as the required number remains seven



SMART IDEA FOR BREYER HORSES

A racing fan is trying to get a Dance Smartly model made in the Breyer horse collection which currently has a Horses of the World set theme.

And Rebecca Mottin wants to help.
"Breyer has created many models of racehorses including Cigar, Seabiscuit, Ruffian, Rags to Riches, and Afleet Alex. They also have a “Horses of the World” theme going on right now, so why not a Canadian superstar? "

At least 50 signatures would help get this idea passed.

If anyone here thinks they’d likely buy a Dance Smartly model could you please forward your name and state or province to REBECCA at rebeccamottin@hotmail.com and Rebecca will forward your support.