Waady provides milestone win to Sheikh Hamdan in Meydan Sprint

Giving Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum win No. 900 in the UAE, Doug Watson-trained Waady returned from just one week’s rest to land Thursday's Group 2 $250,000 Meydan Sprint over heavily favored Equilateral.

Always involved, the gritty son of Approve followed the swift pace set by Group 2-winning 11-year-old Caspian Prince before challenging in the final 300 meters of the straight 1,000-meter dash.

Engaged with Equilateral in the final furlong, jockey Jim Crowley and Waady outlasted the Juddmonte color-bearer to win by three-quarters of a length. It was his third win this season.

The final time was a swift 56.87, with American sprinter-miler Blitzkrieg for trainer Doug O'Neill closing well to finish third under William Buick, 1¼ lengths astern the runner-up.

"They’ve done a great job with him to come back a week later and put in a better performance," Crowley said of Watson and his team. "The key to this horse is that he stays five (furlongs) so well and gallops past the line. It was a job to pull up with him. He just keeps going. He’s come out here and he’s thriving out here. At the age of seven, he’s really found his form.”

Caspian Prince, Yaalail, Angel Alexander, Poet’s Society, Mazzini and Inverleigh completed the order of finish. Last Thursday, Waady won a 1,000-meter handicap in a time of 57.24, his ninth victory from 32 lifetime starts.

"This horse surprised us all season, his third with us and we have changed his preparations and training routine this campaign," Watson said. "Everything has gone well. He has natural speed for 1,000 meters, but we will have to go back up to 1,200 meters now, but he deserves a crack at another big prize.”

It was a big night for Sheikh Hamdan. Prior to his milestone win, Down On Da Bayou -- a Kentucky-bred daughter of Super Saver -- ran off to win the UAE Oaks (G3) in his colors.