Run for the Roses

The Kentucky Derby, also known as ‘The Run for the Roses’, has been run at Churchill Downs since 1875, making it the United States’ longest-running continuous sporting event.

Described locally as ‘the most exciting two minutes in sport’, each year the ten-furlong dirt contest sees 20 top-class three-year-olds bid to win the first leg of America’s Triple Crown and the $2 million winner’s prize – not to mention the famous garland of red roses which adorns the winner.

This year, Godolphin have not one, not two, but three possible contenders for the race, in homegrown talents Avery Island and Enticed, plus recent UAE 2,000 Guineas hero Gold Town.

Avery Island (whose dam is Kinda Spicy, so is appropriately named after the home of Tabasco sauce) recorded his first win last September, storming to a five-and-a-quarter-length victory over an extended mile on the Belmont dirt.

Stepping up to Graded Stakes level for his next start, Avery Island could not have been more impressive, leading for most of the way before storming clear to take the G2 Nashua Stakes by four and three-quarter lengths, confirming his position as a live Kentucky Derby contender for his trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

The son of Darley stallion Street Sense (who won the Derby himself back in 2007) concluded his juvenile campaign with a second place in the G2 Remsen Stakes.

Avery Island made his 2018 debut in the G3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, which has become a prep race for the Kentucky Derby in recent years, since switching from May to February. He was a true professional throughout, settling just off the pace before taking up the running three furlongs out, winning eased down by two lengths.

Avery Island’s next target is the million-dollar G2 Louisiana Derby next month, where, should he give another good account of himself, will remain firmly in contention to line up at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

For a trainer to have one Kentucky Derby hopeful is a great achievement, but to have two is truly exceptional and Kiaran McLaughlin has just this, as he is also responsible for exciting colt Enticed.

Enticed, who is by leading Darley sire Medaglia d’Oro, won on his very first racecourse appearance, recording an easy victory over six furlongs at Saratoga.

Third place in the G1 Champagne Stakes followed, before Enticed added his first Graded Stakes win in an exciting renewal of the G2 Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill.

Things may not have gone to plan when Enticed returned this year in the G2 Holy Bull Stakes, where he finished fourth after being trapped on the inside right into the back stretch. He has, however, come out of the race well and the G3 Gotham is his next target as he remains on course to join his stablemate in the Kentucky Derby.

The USA does not have the monopoly on Kentucky Derby trials and in fact, Sheikh Mohammed has been instrumental in creating a series of races in the UAE specifically designed to throw up any contenders who could ship to the States after the Dubai World Cup.

One of these races, the UAE 2,000 Guineas, was won this year in sensational fashion by trainer Charlie Appleby’s charge Gold Town, who stormed to a ten-and-a-half length victory under jockey William Buick at Meydan.

This superb win earned him a supplementary entry to the Kentucky Derby, with a tilt at the UAE Derby on the cards before he ships to America.

Should Gold Town go on to win the Derby, it would be a very fitting victory indeed as his sire is late Darley stallion Street Cry, who won the UAE Guineas himself before an injury put paid to his Kentucky Derby dreams just 12 days before the race. He went on to win the Dubai World Cup and the G1 Stephen Foster the following year.

Street Cry was retired to stand as a Darley stallion and was an enormous success as a sire, with G1 winners Street Sense and Street Boss hailing from his first crop, alongside one of the most famous racemares to ever step onto the track, Zenyatta. Street Cry is also sire of the incomparable Winx, winner of 22 consecutive races.

Gold Town is from Street Cry’s very last crop and so far, is continuing his sire’s legacy in outstanding style.