Super Derby to Godolphin

[Horny Harry]

Super Derby goes to Essence of Dubai
Bossier City, LA (Sports Network) - Essence of Dubai, ridden by Jorge Chavez, went wire-to-wire in winning Saturday's $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. The time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.43.
Essence of Dubai jumped out to the early lead followed into the clubhouse turn by A.P. Five Hundred and Walk in the Snow. Heading up the backstretch Essence of Dubai held the lead with Walk in the Snow moving into second and A.P. Five Hundred in third.
Around the final turn the leader was racing off the rail as Walk in the Snow came up the inside to challenge. At the top of the stretch Essence of Dubai led by one length. He quickly began to increase his advantage and was 3 1/2 lengths clear at the wire.
Walk in the Snow was second, followed by A.P. Five Hundred and Oklahoma Derby winner The Judge Sez Who in the eight-horse field.
Finishing off the board was morning-line favorite and Arkansas Derby winner Private Emblem.
Essence of Dubai is owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Saeed bin Suroor. The three-year-old notched his third win of year and added $300,000 to his bankroll. Earlier this year Essence of Dubai won the UAE 2000 Guineas and the UAE Derby. He finished ninth in the Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Belmont Stakes.
In his career Essence of Dubai has won five of 10 starts for just under $2 million. He was coming off a second-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby.

[Horny Harry]

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[Horny Harry]

http://www.godolphin.com/news_imgs/Essence%20Of%20Dubai/Essence-of-Dubai-Super-Derb.jpg
ESSENCE OF DUBAI SUPER IN SUPER DERBY WIN
Essence Of Dubai Captures the Super Derby
©Natalie Ardoin
In his finest effort since arriving in the United States this year, Essence Of Dubai led from start to finish on Saturday to capture the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.
Essence of Dubai, with Jorge Chavez riding the colt for the first time, was hustled away from the gate in the 1 1/8-mile race and set sensible fractions of 23.77 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, 47.96 seconds for a half-mile, and 1:12.42 for the first six furlongs.
The five rivals chasing Essence of Dubai inched closer as the field turned into the stretch, but Essence of Dubai had plenty left. He quickly dispatched his rivals and drew away again en route to a 3 1/2-length victory. The longshot Walk in the Snow was second.
Essence of Dubai was timed in 1:49.43.
Godolphin's Tom Albertrani said: "He washed out badly in the Jim Dandy and we were thinking then that we might just give him the rest of the year off and then start again next year. But we decided to give him one more chance in the Penn Derby and he actually showed some enthusiasm in that race, so we decided to give him a shot here.''
The victory was the fifth in 11 lifetime starts for Essence of Dubai, but it was his first since capturing the UAE Derby at Nad al Sheba in March. Since arriving in the United States in time for the Kentucky Derby, Essence of Dubai had taken time to find his best form. He came into the Super Derby off a second-place finish to Harlan's Holiday in the Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park on September 2.
Essence of Dubai, a 3-year-old colt by Pulpit, earned $300,000 for his Super Derby win to bring his career earnings to just shy of $2 million at $1,998,200.
Tom Albertrani, the New York-based assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, represented Godolphin at Louisiana Downs on Saturday.