Making his first start since a fourth-place effort to his now-stablemate Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 25, fan-favorite Mubtaahij overcame a very wide trip to earn an elusive Grade I success in Saturday's Awesome Again S., offering the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.
Fairly into stride, the 5-year-old was looking to ease back into the latter half of the field when he was short of running room between Breaking Lucky (Lookin At Lucky) and Donworth (Tiznow), was taken up slightly and followed favored Cupid (Tapit) in the run around the first turn. Midnight Storm galloped the field along at a decent pace and by the time the Awesome Again field had reached the backstretch, Cupid was able to get in for some cover. The same could not be said for Mubtaahij, who traveled in the clear, but made good ground while forced to cover significant ground on the second turn. Midnight Storm was battling on gamely at the rail, but Mubtaahij, racing on his incorrect lead, came to tackle a furlong from home and managed to grind out the victory.
“The trip was great. I was really keeping my eye on Cupid and taking my cue from him,” said winning jockey Drayden Van Dyke. “I was placed where I wanted to be and didn't start asking him until late. But when I asked him, he responded.”
Mubtaahij adds to the embarrassment of riches that is the self-contained handicap division of Team Baffert. As many as five could make the gate for the Classic-defending champ Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), GI Pacific Classic hero Collected (City Zip), Cupid and GI Travers S. victor West Coast (Flatter).
“As long as they're healthy, I'll go to the Breeders' Cup. I don't want to jinx myself. I don't want to get too ahead of myself and it's a nice problem but like I said, they have to be training well and they've got to stay healthy.”
Eight-length winner of the 2015 G2 UAE Derby while under the care of Mike de Kock, Mubtaahij was second to California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the 2016 G1 Dubai World Cup. Subsequently transferred to Kiaran McLaughlin last summer, the bay was third in the GI Whitney H. and second in the GI Woodward S. before a fourth in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. Mubtaahij was runner-up in a Meydan handicap this past February ahead of his World Cup effort.
Pedigree Notes:
Mubtaahij is kin to a pair of black-type winners, including Lily of the Valley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Vanquish Run (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a ¥190 million ($1.88 million) purchase as a foal at the 2013 JRHA Select Sale. Mubtaahij is the 31st Grade I/Group 1 winner for his sire worldwide and joins 2015 World Cup winner Prince Bishop (Ire) as the sire's only other top-level winner on dirt. Dubawi is also the sire of Monterosso (GB) and Hunter's Light (Ire), winners of the World Cup on the Meydan Tapeta track. Pennegale's most recent listed produce is a yearling colt by Siyouni (Fr).
Saturday, Santa Anita
AWESOME AGAIN S.-GI, $300,690, SA, 9-30, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:51.32, ft.
1–&MUBTAAHIJ (IRE), 122, h, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Pennegale (Ire), by Pennekamp
2nd Dam: Gale Warning (Ire), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Gay Apparel, by Up Spirits
(€450,000 Ylg '13 ARAUG). O-Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al
Maktoum; B-Dunmore Stud Ltd. (IRE); T-Bob Baffert; J-Drayden
Van Dyke. $180,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-UAE, Hwt.
at 3 on UAE Free Hand at 7-9 1/2f, 18-5-4-1, $4,529,332. *1/2
to Calbuco (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}), MSW-Fr, $607,120; Lily of the
Valley (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), European Ch. 3yo Filly, G1SW-Fr,
$472,347. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”itm-g1″][bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–Midnight Storm, 122, h, 6, Pioneerof the Nile–My Tina, by
Bertrando. ($38,000 RNA Ylg '12 KEESEP). O-A Venneri Racing,
Inc. & Little Red Feather Racing; B-Alex Venneri & Marjorie
Post Dye (KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $60,000.[bullet ad=”warrendale-double”][bullet ad=”blackwood-graduate-2″][bullet ad=”vinery-sales-grad”]3–Win the Space, 122, h, 5, Pulpit–Teamgeist (Arg), by
Mutakddim. ($65,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP; $360,000 2yo '14
FTFMAR). O-Kretz Racing LLC; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY);
T-George Papaprodromou. $36,000.[bullet ad=”guyhubert-andkingsequine-yearlingpurchase”][bullet ad=”vanleer-2yopurchase”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Margins: 1HF, HD, HF. Odds: 3.10, 8.10, 25.60.
Also Ran: Cupid, Breaking Lucky, Curlin Rules, Donworth. Scratched: Dortmund.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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