Vineyard Haven Fails to Fire in 2009 Debut

by Patricia Woo | Feb 16 2009

Triple Crown prospect Vineyard Haven is  at the center of one of the most intriguing stories unfolding on the road to the 135th Kentucky Derby. After showing promise as a 2-year-old, winning both the Champagne Stakes and the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes against Grade 1 company last year, Vineyard Haven was purchased from owner-trainer Bobby Frankel by Godolphin Racing and shipped to Dubai to continue his training for the Kentucky Derby. Questions have abounded regarding the move and its effects on Vineyard Haven’s chances at the Kentucky Derby; horse betting and racing fans alike have been eagerly awaiting his Feb. 12 debut as a 3-year-old: the $250,000 UAE 2000 Guineas, a 1-mile Group 3 race at Nad al Sheba.

But Vineyard Haven will have to wait till his next race to enter the winner’s circle once more. Within striking range but running wide as the field entered the stretch, Vineyard Haven faded and finished fourth. Instead, it was stablemate Desert Party who rose to the occasion, besting the Champagne Stakes hero by 12 lengths. Desert Party is scheduled to run next in the third leg of the Dubai Triple Crown, the 1 1/8-mile UAE Derby on March 28.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford commented on Vineyard Haven’s performance after the race, citing a difficult transition to Dubai for the Lido Palace colt. “Truth to tell, Vineyard Haven has had a rough time of it here this winter. We knew he was going to need the race.” Indeed, before the race, Crisford seemed to be expecting a less-than-ideal outing for the 3-year-old colt: “He’s going to be a little bit rusty for sure, because he hasn’t run in a long time and he’s had a pretty quiet introduction to his campaign out here. But he’s doing well mentally and physically and whatever he does in the Guineas he’s sure to improve a lot off that. That race is just to start him off; he has the UAE Derby as the longer target.”

As for Godolphin’s other star acquisition, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion Midshipman, plans are for him to start his 2009 campaign in the second jewel of the Dubai Triple Crown, the  1 1/8-mile Al Bastakiya on March 5.

In other Kentucky Derby prep news back in the U.S., Chocolate Candy sweetened Valentine’s Day for horse bettors with his win in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby, a Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile race at Golden Gate Fields. Under jockey Russell Baze, the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee showed his competitive drive, warding off a challenge from Massone in the home stretch to hang on for a hard-fought half-length victory. The Candy Ride colt has now won four of his last five outings.

And in the $225,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes, a Grade 3 race over 8.5 furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 14, General Quarters raced without blinkers for the first time and found himself in the spotlight after thwarting the previously unbeaten Free Country (who finished fourth) with an upset win.

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