Calumet Farm's Tall Boy takes on Irish shipper Cairo, Japanese quintet in UAE Derby

One of the supporting features on the loaded Dubai World Cup (G1) card, the UAE Derby awards points on the maximum basis of 100-40-30-20-10. Thus the winner effectively secures a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby, and the runner-up can boost his chances of making the field.

You can watch and wager on the UAE Derby, the fifth race with a post time of 9:50 a.m. (ET), at TwinSpires.com. Stay tuned in for the afternoon action culminating in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park (6:25 p.m. ET) and the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds (6:42 p.m. ET).

Here are six talking points for the about 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby:

1. Southern California-based Tall Boy and Ah Jeez shipped early and already won over the track.

O’Neill has had success in the past sending a select team over early for the Dubai Carnival, and both of his UAE Derby runners have renewed that pattern. Tall Boy was winless in Southern California, including a fourth behind Practical Move in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), but he broke his maiden in his first try here in the Feb. 10 UAE 2000 Guineas (G3). Campaigned by the all-time winningest owner in Kentucky Derby history, Calumet Farm, Tall Boy won a slugfest that bodes well for his step up in trip. And British champion jockey William Buick stays aboard.

The distance is a bigger question mark for stablemate Ah Jeez, who picks up Tyler Gaffalione. Although by 2018 UAE Derby conqueror Mendelssohn, who still owns the track record of 1:55.18, Ah Jeez has lost all of his races over a route. He’s been much more effective in turf sprints at home. But his victory in an about seven-furlong allowance on the Meydan dirt Feb. 24 was encouraging. 

2. European Road leader Cairo will try to emulate Mendelssohn.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Cairo scored in the March 3 Patton S. on the Dundalk Polytrack, jumping to the top of the European Road leaderboard. But the Triple Crown nominee will try to earn his way to Churchill Downs by this route, testing his dirt aptitude rather than chasing points on the all-weather in Europe.

O’Brien charted this same path with Mendelssohn, who also won the Patton en route to the UAE Derby. The parallel would have been closer if Cairo had raced in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) as first planned. Mendelssohn concluded his 2017 season by winning the Juvenile Turf, and Cairo might have done likewise, but he ended up not shipping to Keeneland. Ryan Moore rides the son of Quality Road.

3. The top three on the Japan Road will try to earn a Derby ticket on the main leaderboard.

The winners of the first three Japan Road races – Continuar, Derma Sotogake, and Perriere – likewise could have tried to lock up a Kentucky Derby invitation at home. Yet their connections are also chasing the bigger prize in Dubai.

Pro tem leader Perriere captured the latest Japan Road event, the Feb. 19 Hyacinth S., when relishing the return to Tokyo’s one-turn metric mile. But Perriere’s third in the previous Japan Road race, the Dec. 14 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun around two turns, raises some concern about the Henny Hughes colt’s aptitude for this distance. Goraiko was only fifth in the Hyacinth, but last year’s UAE Derby winner, Crown Pride, prepped similarly for the same trainer – Koichi Shintani.

Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun hero Derma Sotogake shapes like one who will appreciate the trip. He’s outfinished Continuar twice, most recently in the Feb. 25 Saudi Derby (G3) when they were third and fifth, respectively. Still, Continuar is better than that, as he showed when winning the Japan Road opener, the Nov. 26 Cattleya S. 

4. Dura Erede has the strongest resume of the Japanese contenders. 

Turf is the premier surface in Japan, and Dura Erede arrives as the most accomplished of his compatriots. He sprang an 89-1 upset of the Hopeful (G1) going about 1 1/4 miles on turf, but he’s also a winner on the dirt at Sapporo. 

Dura Erede’s running style could suit Meydan as well. As a stalker who just keeps grinding, he promises to be in the hunt throughout. 

5. Go Soldier Go, Mr Raj, and Lahresh have experience over this course and distance.

A trio of locally-based entrants must be considered, although they were not early Triple Crown nominees.

Go Soldier Go enters on the upswing for trainer Fawzi Nass. He’s won two straight going this distance at Meydan, recently closing with a rush to collar Mr Raj in the March 4 Al Bastakiya. Mr Raj, who was earlier third to Tall Boy in the UAE 2000 Guineas, was trying about 1 3/16 miles for the first time in the Al Bastakiya. 

Lahresh, along for sixth in the Al Bastakiya, might have been involved if he’d employed his usual stalking style. Runner-up to highly-regarded Shirl’s Bee in December, Lahresh romped in a maiden over Go Soldier Go at the UAE Derby trip.

6. Worcester and Es-Unico aren’t eligible for Derby points, but they can factor.

Worcester makes the trek for trainer Bob Baffert, whose horses are ineligible for points because he is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. Like Tall Boy, Worcester hasn’t won at home in Southern California, but he was third in the Robert B. Lewis (G3). The son of Empire Maker stands to benefit from the opportunity to go about 1 3/16 miles.

Es-Unico is too old to run in the Kentucky Derby, as a Southern Hemisphere-bred from Brazil. He meets the conditions for the UAE Derby, however, and the multiple Uruguayan stakes winner has run well in both starts in the Mideast. A fine second off a five-month layoff here Jan. 13, Es-Unico was most recently fourth in the Saudi Derby.