Desert Doings: McKinzie Colt Look To Run Back To Promising Trial

[Wandering Eyes]

In this series, we will have a look predominantly at American-bred first-time juvenile starters (through the end of 2025) and debuting 3-year-olds in maiden races at Meydan Racecourse, with a specific focus on pedigree and/or performance in a sales ring. The flagship venue for racing in the United Arab Emirates is Meydan Racecourse, which will host racing on Fridays through the end of March, with the exception of Super Saturday on Feb. 28 and Dubai World Cup night Mar. 28, 2026. Here are the horses of note for this Friday's program at Meydan:

Friday, December 5, 2025
2nd-MEY, AED165,000 ($45k), Maiden, NH2yo/SH3yo, 1400m
No fewer than seven first-starters feature in this field of 13 and if his lone trial to date is any indication, ISHTIAH (McKinzie) could take a fair bit of beating. Hailing from the family of the legendary G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown), the bay colt was an $85,000 acquisition out of last year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale before changing hands for 150,000gns ($208,402) at this year's Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale (under-tack video). The Mar. 1 foal took a Nov. 12 trial by 5 3/4 lengths (see below) and the form has already been franked, as Duke of Immatin (Gun Runner), third in that hit-out, won his maiden impressively at first asking at Jebel Ali Nov. 29.

 

 

Heart of Libya (Honor A. P.) was a $30,000 Keeneland September yearling before improving into a $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Juvenile this past May (gallop). The colt's dam, a half-sister to MGISW Tonalist (Tapit) and already responsible for Peruvian SW & GSP Estrella de Fuego (Oscar Performance), was sold for $47,000 with the colt in utero at Keeneland November in 2022. This is the extended female family of Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam). Heart of Libya was fourth in the Ishtiah trial.

 

 

Mirham (Maximus Mischief), whose unraced dam Bless You (Munnings) is a half-sister to GSW She's All Eltish (Eltish), fetched $260,000 from Harmash Racing after breezing a furlong in :9 4/5 at this year's OBS April Sale (see below), while New Jersey-bred Lino Padrino (Uncle Lino) was hammered down for $200,000 at FTMMAY after his blowout down the lane at Timonium (video). The latter hails from the family of the red-hot Upstart.

 

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