All eyes on Paddys Day in Sheikh Zayed Cup race
pleasanton (california) — Saturday sees some high class Purebred Arabian horse racing even as the Scott Powell-trained Paddys Day aims to top the second leg of the 2017 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Series in Pleasanton, USA and close in on the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Triple Crown for a third successive year.
The 6-year-old Paddys Day, owned by Quarter Moon Ranch LLC, has won the first two (2015 & 2016) editions of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Triple Crown along with the $150,000 bonus each year and has also won the Amethyst Jewel (first leg) this year in Houston in March.
In Saturday’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup Grade II – Emerald Arabian Triple Crown, Paddys Day will be under Keiber Coa, the jockey who steered the two-time Darley Horse of the Year to a fine win in a 6-furlong contest in Delaware last month.
Paddys Day has been in solid form having won the Sheikh Zayed Cup Amethyst Jewel first leg of the Triple Crown in Houston under Deshawn Parker and then in April was ridden to another great win by Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza in the Grade I, $100,000 Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Darley Award Stakes at Santa Anita race course.
Paddys Day picked up 8 points for the win in Houston while Easter Man (7 points) and Quick Sand AA (6) finished in that order while Sand Victor, a winner here last year ahead of Paddys Day finished fifth but earned the 5 points which every runner gets for starting the race.
Trainer Tim Eaton handles both Quick Sand AA, a 4-year-old colt to be ridden by Pedro Terrero and the 6-year-old Sand Victor (Hugo Herrera astride) and both are likely to pose a challenge to Paddys Day.
True Grit SA, CR Ardiente, Jess Is On Fire, By Golly Its Hot, Twice Rich, Ayers, Es Mi Cielo, One Hot Vaz and Z Yoyo Go complete the field in this $50,000 Stakes race to be contested over six furlongs (1200 metres).
Prior to the featured Sheikh Zayed Cup, the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship Ladies Cup race with a prize fund of $41,000 will be worked off.