Let's get right into the Locks....
Godolphin Mile
Grade 2, $1,000,000
1 Mile, All Weather Track
Many US racing fans will recognize Godolphin's Travers Stakes winner Alpha however this Bernardini colt hasn't been up to form since winning the Summer Derby. So we turn our attention to the undefeated favorite 4yo Soft Falling Rain (4-1) - a perfect career of 6 for 6 including 2 wins at Meydan this winter. The Locks always looks for value and think we found slightly more value in the 5-1 Moonwalk in Paris - both Soft Falling Rain and Moonwalk in Paris ran in different races on February 14th at Meydan - with MiP running the flat mile 3/10th a second faster which is about 1.5 lengths. Penitent has won 4 races out of 8 when running a mile - question is whether will the 7yo gelding handle the Meydan tapeta - but will take a shot at 10-1. Capital Attraction has a win, a 2nd and a 3rd running a mile at Meydan this winter - including placing ahead of MiP in their last race.
◎ 15 Moonwalk in Paris 5-1
○ 13 Soft Falling Rain 4-1
▲ 11 Penitent 10-1
△ 12 Capital Attraction 15-1
Dubai Gold Cup
Grade 3, $1,000,000
2 Miles, Turf
This marathon turf race features a Aidan O' Brien's Imperial Monarch as the 3-1 favorite - but the Locks will overlook this colt at that price because hasn't raced successfully since winning last July. Ahzeemah at 9-2 runs in the blue silks of Godolphin is the Locks top pick. Ahzeemah hasn't raced out of the money since last April and has won and 2 close 2nd place finishes this winter at Meydan. Star Empire in those 3 same Meydan races as Ahzeemah has run has a 2 3rds and a win. Calvaryman has several 2m races in its past performances and run with some success at Meydan also picks up Godolphin's choice rider, Silvestre De Sousa. Jutland offers some value at 20-1 with a race record of 11-4-2-3 in the past 2 years.
◎ 2 Ahzeemah 9-2
○ 10 Star Empire 6-1
▲ 3 Cavalaryman 7-2
△ 5 Jutland 20-1
UAE Derby
Grade 2, $2,000,000
1 3/16th mile, All Weather Track
The UAE Derby brings to Dubai the same connections (owner, trainer, jockey) as the 2012 Kentucky Derby winner, I'll Have Another in the 8-1, He's Had Enough. HHE will have a tough go of it at Meydan as the Tapit colt is not shown good form since coming in 2nd in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile also has run 2 clunkers on the same tapeta surface that this race will be run on. Lines of Battle comes in from the same connections as last year's version of this race, Daddy Long Legs - also is out of an Arch broodmare. Also another horse will have to show better than last form. Now Spun and Secret Number will race for Godolphin and has won already over the ground. Secret Number picks up De Sousa - showing the preference of the owner between those two. The Locks may consider Dice Flavor at 5-1 - comes to Dubai after an impressive win on the Golden Gate all-weather surface. Zahee at 20-1 seems to offer some value with 3 improving races at Meydan this winter but will carry 10 lbs more than most of the horses. Snowboarder also has show some success in those 3 races at Meydan but at less of a price. Shuruq may be able to follow the footsteps of 2011 UAE Derby winner by winning the Oaks/Derby double.
◎ 9 Shuruq 8-1
○ 7 Lines of Battle 10-1
▲ 8 Zahee 20-1
△ 5 Dice Flavor 5-1
Al Quoz Sprint
Grade 1, $1,000,000
5 furlongs, Turf
Favorite of this race is 5-2 Shea Shea based on an impressive win at Meydan against a few of those in this race. But appears to be a lot of value in those horses running here with decent success recently with Russian Soul 15-1 and Medicean Man 40-1. Varsity comes over from the US and has shown great success at running 5f on the turf. Only has 2 clunker races and they have come when a jockey other than Joe Bravo has ridden....Joe Bravo rides for the Al Quoz. Eagle Regiment has 7 wins and 3 2nds in 10 tries at 5 furlongs. Mr Big also is a model of consistent success with 19 out of 19 in the money finishes. Sole Power has raced all over the world (Meydan, Sha Tin, Ascot, Longchamp, Doncaster, York) and always seems to hit the board.
◎ 6 Varsity 6-1
○ 1 Eagle Regiment 12-1
▲ 7 Shea Shea 5-2
△ 9 Russian Soul 15-1
△ 15 Sole Power 5-1
Dubai Golden Shaheen
Grade 1, $2,000,000
6 furlongs, All Weather Track
The 1st and 3rd favorite of this race, Trinniberg 5-2 and Private Zone 9-2, comes to Dubai from the US with good resumes but the Locks may look for value elsewhere. Trinniberg comes in off the Breeder's Cup Sprint win but has yet to race on an all-weather track; Private Zone hasn't won since racing in Panama missing in 7 tries. Mental 7-2 will run for Godolphin and has appears 6 furlong is the gelding's best distance and has a win on the Meydan All Weather course over 4 other horses racing in the Golden Shaheen. Krypton Factor 8-1 won this race last year and has not been out of the money at Meydan in KF's last 8 tries. Reynaldothewizard 12-1 comfortably won a G3 6f race at Meydan at Dubai's Super Saturday meet. Kavanagh 15-1 won at 6f on the Meydan turf.
◎ 5 Reyaldothewizard 12-1
○ 10 Mental 7-2
▲ 13 Krypton Factor 8-1
△ 7 Kavanagh 15-1
Dubai Duty Free
Grade 1, $5,000,000
9 furlongs, Turf
Little Mike , winner of the Breeder's Cup Turf is another US horse that comes in as favorite but showed little in the 6yos Meydan prep. Question will be whether Little Mike will be pressed on the lead - with open questions - the Locks will go with Sajjhaa. After being close but not winning in Europe in 2012, Sajjhaa is 3 for 3 at Meydan this meet. Giofra has proven she can take her European success and compete abroad with her place finish at Sha Tin in the HK Cup. City Style for over 2 years has not been out of the money on the Meydan turf. The Apache has a win and a place in racing with a few that will be running in the Duty Free.
◎ 5 Sajjhaa 8-1
○ 3 City Style 20-1
▲ 9 Giofra 15-1
△ 10 The Apache 12-1
Dubai Sheema Classic
Grade 1, $5,000,000
1 1/2m, Turf
Last year's Triple Tiara winner, Gentildonna, proved that she could beat the best in winning the Japan Cup over Orfevre. Japan's best has proven at Dubai that they can beat the world's best. Await the Dawn after a string of 3 clunker races - has had 2 nice races at Meydan including a close 2nd at same distance. St Nicholas Abbey another winner of the BC Turf, just missed in this race last year and ran 1st,2nd, or 3rd in major G1 race except when running on the soft Longchamp turf in the L'Arc. Very Nice Name, had promising start of career in France and then has run off 5 straight wins in Doha, Qatar. The competition is limited in Doha but horsse is a winner and at 60-1 is worth a flyer.
◎ 8 Gentildonna 9-5
○ 11 Await the Dawn 12-1
▲ 6 St. Nicholas Abbey 5-2
△ 9 Very Nice Name 60-1
Dubai World Cup
Grade 1, $10,000,000
1 1/4m, All Weather Track
Animal Kingdom has never been out of the money save for the very troubled Belmont Stakes. Is 2 for 2 on the poly track. Trainer Graham Motion did a training job of the decade to get him ready for BC Mile -- likes how he is training into this race. Joel Rosario has a chance for redemption after moving too early in last. Hunter's Light will be the horse to beat - 2 for 2 on Meydan tapeta another all weather track win in Turkey. Undefeated when paired up with De Sousa. Kassiano is lifetime never out of the money. Is 6 for 7 on the all weather track. Planteur prepped for this race with a win on the poly track at Lingfield - hit the board in last year's race.
◎ 4 Hunter's Light 7-2
○ 12 Animal Kingdom 5-1
▲ 13 Kassiano 12-1
△ 7 Planteur 30-1
