The former Mike De Kock trained Mubtaahij, now in the care of master US trainer Bob Baffert cracked his first Group 1 race in America on Saturday. The Irish son made his name in Dubai before being moved to America by his owner. 

Fifth, but attentive to the pace leaving the half mile pole, Irish-bred Mubtaahij embarked upon a protracted run into the far turn, rallied three-wide turning for home and was up to win Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes by 1 ½ lengths over Midnight Storm. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Mubtaahij got a mile and one eighth in 1:51.32.

Idle since running fourth, beaten nine lengths, behind his superstar stablemate Arrogate in the Group I Dubai World Cup on March 25, Mubtaahij was winless in 10 starts since taking the Group I UAE Derby in March, 2015. Off at 3-1 in a field of seven 3-year-olds and up, he paid $8.20, $4.80 and $4.20.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, 5-year-old Mubtaahij improved his overall mark to 18-4-4-1. With the winner’s check of $180,000, he increased his earnings to $4,529,332.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Midnight Storm relinquished the lead in mid-stretch, but kept to his task gamely, finishing second by a head over longshot Win the Space. Off at 8-1, Midnight Storm paid $6.00 and $4.80.

With Joe Talamo up, Win the Space finished a half length in front of Baffert’s Cupid, who had little to offer through the stretch drive as the 6-5 favorite. Off at 25-1, Win the Space paid $8.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.20, 47.06, 1:11.56 and 1:37.75.

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