By Heather Anderson
Extravagant Kid (Kiss the Kid) broke his group duck and became the first American-trained winner of the $1-million G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Saturday.
As soon as the gates flew, the field split into two groups–one in the centre of the course and one against the far rail–as favoured Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) got squeezed out of the back of the latter bunch. Under Ryan Moore, Extravagant Kid enjoyed clear sailing and shifted back toward the centre of the course with several rivals to make it three separate clusters across the track with a half-mile remaining. True Valour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) showed the most early dash and cut out fractions while closest to the grandstand.
He still held a narrow advantage as the centre group merged with the grandstand brigade at the 300-metre pole, but Godolphin runners Man Of Promise (Into Mishchief) to his right flank and Royal Crusade (GB) (Shamardal) on his other side both appeared poised to rally, as did a surging Acklam Express (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) on the other side of the course. Extravagant Kid, meanwhile, was also coming with his run, as was another Godolphin pair in Space Blues and Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) to the eventual winner's immediate left.
Seizing command with 100 metres to travel, Extravagant Kid just held off the closing Final Song by a half-length, while Acklam Express was a neck back in third, 1 1/4 lengths to the good of Equilateral (GB) (Equiano {Fr}).
“What an unbelievable race,” said his owner David A Ross. “His trainer Brendan Walsh had a good feeling about him, he came into the race well, Brendan had him prepped well. He really liked the venue here and we thought we would take advantage. As an 8-year-old, what about that?”
“No credit must go to me, I just put the saddle on,” said Brendan Walsh, who was winning his second Dubai World Cup night feature after Plus Que Parfait (Point of Entry)'s victory in the 2019 G2 UAE Derby. “My lad here looked after him and he was very pleased with him.”
“It was a very messy race,” said pilot Ryan Moore, who was winning his first G1 Al Quoz Sprint. “The speed looked like it was going to be stands' side but we had to make a decision. Space Blues and Khaadem were going, they were the best horses and gave me a bit of toe. The horse ran a super race at Keeneland [in the Breeders' Cup]. He is a very talented horse. You'll have to watch out for Brendan when he comes back here.”
In action for seven seasons and still going strong, Extravagant Kid hadn't visited the winner's circle since an allowance win at Churchill Downs in May of 2020, but in his ensuing seven starts, he'd only been off the board twice. Fifth in the GII Shakertown S. at Keeneland in July, the gelding was only a neck behind Diamond Oops (Lookin At Lucky) in the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. back in Louisville on Sept. 4 and was second yet again in the GII Woodford S. warming up for a run in the Breeders' Cup. Not disgraced after a wide journey, he made up some late ground to take fourth in Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead)'s GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint back at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
He kicked off 2021 with a neck second in the Listed Janus S. at Gulfstream Park on New Year's Day, the same spot he'd filled in 2018 and won outright in 2019. Another second, this time in the state-bred Sunshine Sprint S. on Jan. 16 on the dirt followed, and he was five lengths in arrears in the washed out Colonel Power S. at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 13.
Pedigree Notes
Extravagant Kid is the only black-type winner, and first group and Group 1 winner from limited opportunity for his sire, who won the GIII Cliff Hanger S. and GIII Appleton S., and was third in the 2008 GI Donn H.
Despite only making three starts, Pretty Extravagant reported home a winner at two and Extravagant Kid is her first foal. Her Treasure Beach (GB) 4-year-old filly Extravagant Rosie is a winner, as is her Itsmyluckyday 3-year-old gelding Uncle Pip. Her filly of 2019, Prettykeen (Keen Ice), is unraced and her most recent produce is a weanling colt by Bernardini foaled on Mar. 2.
Although Extravagant Kid is the only stakes winner under the first four dams, his fourth dam, Pretty Fresh (Forli {Arg}), is a full-sister to 1975 GI Hollywood Derby and 1976 GI United Nations H. victor Intrepid Hero (Forli {Arg}).
Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
AL QUOZ SPRINT SPONSORED BY AZIZI DEVELOPMENTS-G1, $1,000,000, Meydan, 3-27, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:09.26, gd.
1–EXTRAVAGANT KID, 131, g, 8, by Kiss the Kid
1st Dam: Pretty Extravagant, by With Distinction
2nd Dam: Dancing Dawn, by Seattle Dancer
3rd Dam: Kathy W., by Grey Dawn II (Fr)
1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-DARRS, Inc.; B-Vicino
Racing Stable (FL); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Ryan Moore.
$580,000. Lifetime Record: MSW & MGSP-US, GISP-Can,
50-15-16-6, $1,581,610. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Final Song (Ire), 127, f, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Rahiyah, by Rahy.
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. $200,000.
3–Acklam Express (Ire), 122, g, 3, Mehmas (Ire)–York Express
(GB), by Vale of York (Ire). (€26,000 Ylg '19 GOFSPT; 55,000gns
RNA HRA '20 TAAUT). O-MPS Racing and M B Spence; B-Mr R
Ryan (IRE); T-Nigel Tinkler. $100,000
Margins: HF, NK, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Equilateral (GB), Motafaawit (Ire), True Valour (Ire), Royal Crusade (GB), Man of Promise, Space Blues (Ire), Cowan, Speak In Colours (GB), Moss Gill (Ire), Khaadem (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video.
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