Golden Vekoma A Strong Winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas

[Wandering Eyes]

Golden Vekoma (Vekoma) stretched out to the metric mile following up on his sound success in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial over 1400 meters on Jan. 3, wrested command with about a furlong and a half to travel and held off the well-fancied Heart of Honor (Honor A.P.) to take out Friday's G3 UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan.

Drawn 13 in a full field of 16, the bay colt bounced well enough from out wide and took up a position just ahead of midfield as dirt debutant High Season (GB) (New Bay {GB}) took them along at a decent clip up front while chased by the four-start maiden and American import Rafid (Into Mischief). Fifth passing the 800-metre peg, Golden Vekoma was patiently handled in behind a wall of four rounding the turn, was produced five deep entering the straight, eased to the front at the 300 metres and kept on nicely to score by a length and a half. Heart of Honor missed the kick and spotted his rivals valuable real estate down the back. Left with plenty to do approaching the final 400 metres, the Jamie Osborne trainee was taken out to the grandstand side and steamed down the outside to finish a sound second. Royal Favour (GB) (Hard Spun) rounded out the placings.

Pedigree Notes:

Golden Vekoma becomes the seventh stakes winner and second graded winner for his 2024 leading American freshman sire. The winner's dam, a daughter of the 2005 American champion 2-year-old male Stevie Wonderboy, was purchased by the Sticks Wondergirl Partnership for $60,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale and is the dam of four winners from four to race, including the stakes-winning Midshipman's Dance. Sticks Wondergirl represents the only black-type in the second dam, but the third dam is full of runners that have come through the program of prominent US breeder Ramona Bass. The Grade I-placed third dam is responsible for Choreograph (Dynaformer), whose six winners include MGSW Goliad (War Front), SW Dancing To Town (Speightstown), MSW Welcome Dance (Henny Hughes) and MGSP Fredericksburg (Speightstown). Sticks Wondergirl did not produce a foal in 2023 or 2024 and is due to Tiz the Law for 2025.

 

 

What. A. Race!

gamely denies the fast-finishing HEART OF HONOR in the @Longines UAE 2000 Guineas! @HARMASHRACING | @connorbeasley9 #FashionFriday | #DubaiCarnival pic.twitter.com/6IwAKPirbB

— Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) January 24, 2025

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