It's been a torrid beginning to 2025 for champion freshman sire Vekoma, who racked up yet another potentially important horse when Golden Vekoma ran out a good-looking winner of Friday's UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Sponsored by Kentucky Derby, a 1400-meter contest run under allowance conditions at Meydan.
Making his first start since finishing a distant third in a 1600-meter maiden Dec. 6, the bay colt broke running from a double-digit gate and parked right off the speed in a three-wide third, then dropped down into the two path when the pace-pressing Laafit (Honest Mischief) looked to take a bad step nearing the turn. Chasing the filly Arigatou Gozaimazu (Honest Mischief) into the final 600 meters, Golden Vekoma was sent into the lead by Connor Beasley in upper stretch and kept the gallop up to the line, accounting for the previously Russian-based Nimble Boy (Upstart) by 2 1/4 lengths. The previously unbeaten Rammayy (Win Win Win) was third,
Golden Vekoma hails from a Bass family third dam that includes MGSW Goliad (War Front) and the stakes winners Dancing To Town (Speightstown) and Welcome Dance (Henny Hughes). Sticks Wondergirl did not produce a foal in 2023 or 2024 and was most recently bred to Tiz the Law.
UAE 2000 GUINEAS TRIAL SPONSORED BY KENTUCKY DERBY (Cond.), AED300,000, Meydan, 1-3, NH/SH3yo, 1400m, 1:24.51, ft.
1–GOLDEN VEKOMA, 121, c, 3, Vekoma–Sticks Wondergirl (SW, $198,048), by Stevie Wonderboy. ($145,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $90,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi; B-Woods Edge Farm LLC (KY); T-Ahmed bin Harmash; J-Connor Beasley; AED180,000. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $53,761. *1/2 to Midshipman's Dance (Midshipman), SW, $177,279.
2–Nimble Boy, 121, c, 3, Upstart–Funfortheholidays, by Harlan's Holiday. ($32,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV). O-Krasnokutsky Brothers Partnership; B-Schultz Family Racing (KY); T-Bhupat Seemar; J-Tadhg O'Shea; AED60,000.
3–Rammayy, 121, c, 3, Win Win Win–Just Like Lucy, by Majesticperfection. ($250,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Brereton C Jones (FL); T-Michael Costa; J-Ray Dawson; AED30,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 4 3/4, NK.
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