Crown Pride earns Kentucky Derby bid with UAE Derby win

Crown Pride (16-1) added to Japan’s success with Saturday’s Dubai World Cup card, taking the lead in the last 150 yards on his way to winning the Grade 2, $1 million UAE Derby, the first major points prep for the Kentucky Derby.

The victory meant Crown Pride, who is nominated for the Triple Crown, mathematically qualified to race May 7 at Churchill Downs.

On a day when being close to the pace was important, it was local hope Summer Is Tomorrow (29-1) who set the pace and was traveling smoothly when the field entered the homestretch. Out a little wider, however, loomed Crown Pride, and the pair broke out for a duel.

At the eighth pole, Summer Is Tomorrow appeared to have the measure of his Japanese rival, but his stride shortened, and Crown Pride’s reserves of stamina told inside the final 110 yards for a victory by 2 3/4 lengths.

“He stepped out OK but didn't travel too well thereafter, and it just took a little bit to get him in a rhythm and get him going,” winning jockey Damien Lane said. “I got crowded a little early, but he was able to stride through and take up position, and it was plain sailing from there really.

“I was confident a long way out, and although he made hard work of it in the straight, ultimately he was the toughest out there. He's a strong, tough horse and saw the distance out well.”

Island Falcon (44-1) finished third for Godolphin just over a length further back, and Bendoog (21-1) was fourth.

Crown Pride's victory was one of four for Japan in addition to Bathrat Leon in the Godolphin Mile (G2), Stay Foolish in the Dubai Gold Cup (G2) and Shahryar in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1). It brought to mind the Saudi Cup meet last month, when Japan took four trophies.

“Whenever you jump aboard (a Japanese-trained horse) you can be confident they're going to be strong, and they're going to run well,” Lane said. “It's just a privilege to be a part of it.”

Crown Pride is trained by Koichi Shintani for owner Teruya Yoshida, whose undefeated 3-year-old filly Delicada won early Saturday in the Fukuryu Stakes at Yokohama. That qualified Delicada for the Kentucky Derby, but she still would need to be nominated by Monday in order to take part.

The UAE Derby was the first 100-40-20-10 points prep on the main trail to get to America's biggest race, meaning Summer Is Tomorrow might have enough points to get in. Trainer Bhupat Seemar said it was an option that would be a considered, although it, too, would require a $6,000 late nomination by Monday.

“I'd definitely consider the Kentucky Derby, but I'd have to see if he's nominated or not first of all,” Seemar said. “That's the biggest thing. Why not though? There were some good horses behind him, a couple of Grade 1 horses from America, so now that he's had that run I think we'd have to think about it.”

The winning time for the 1,900-meter race (about 1 3/16 miles) was 1:59.76 without a run-up. Fractions for the race were 24.72, 47.63, 1:11.81 and 1:37.90.

The U.S. post-time favorite Combustion (5-2), also based in Japan, finished 11th. Pinehurst (7-2), the second choice trained by Bob Baffert, was eased late by jockey Flavien Prat and was last of the 16 finishers.