Trainer Aidan O’Brien secured a spot in the Kentucky Derby for the second year in a row with his win with Lines of Battle in the $2 million UAE Derby (G2), sponsored by Al Naboodah.  The trainer has plans to send the son of War Front to Kentucky, following in the footsteps of the O’Brien-trained 2012 UAe Derby winner Daddy Long Legs.

“We wanted the race to be a true test, but it wasn’t because of the slow pace, which made it a good win under the circumstances,” said O’Brien.  We are very pleased with him and will now go to the Kentucky Derby.”

The UAE Derby is part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, and under that race’s new point structure the race is worth 170 points. 100 points will go to the winner Lines of Battle, 40 to second place Elleval; 20 points to third place finisher Secret Number; and 10 to fourth place Snowboarder. 

Ridden to victory by Ryan Moore, the big bay colt had an unusual trip.  After breaking well Lines of Battle threw his head going into the first turn, then settled into second.  The colt shared the lead with Law Enforcement down the backstretch, faded back to third in the turn, then took over at the 400-metre mark.  In the stretch Lines of Battle drifted wide but held off Elleval and a late run from Secret Number.

Ryan Moore explained his trip over the 1900 metres on Tapeta. 
“It was a farce of a race,” he said.  “They only cantered to half way.  And my horse was only doing what he needed to.  I think he was just the best horse in the race.”

The fractions in the UAE Derby were noticeably slow, with the first 400 metres in 27.06, 800 metres in 52.92 and the final time in 2:02.05. 

Quotes for the Group 2 US$2m UAE Derby, sponsored by The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah

Ryan Moore (Lines of Battle, 1st) – “It was a farce of a race. They only cantered to halfway and my horse was only doing what he needed to.  I think he was just the best horse in the race.”

Aidan O’Brien “We wanted the race to be a true test but it wasn;t because of the slow pace, which made it a good win in the circumstances. We are very pleased with him and we’ll go to the Kentucky Derby with him.”

Fergal Lynch (Elleval, 2nd) – “I thought I was going to get there. I got very excited at the furlong marker. The winner just kept going. He’s a good horse. I ran against him in Dundalk track. Very grateful to the owners and the trainer to keep me on the horse.”

David Marnane (trainer of Elleval, 2nd) – “He came there with a shout, but I do actually wonder if he stayed. I would like to watch it again.  He still has to grow up a little bit more. Took some time to settle. We’ll put him away now and I shall now target the Secretariat Stakes (at Arlington Park on Aug. 17).”

Silvestre De Sousa (Secret Number, 3rd) – “He missed the break.  I was further back than I wanted to be. I had to come wide and then he ran on well but it wasn’t his day.”

William Buick (Snowboarder, 4th) – “They went slow but he stuck to his guns really well in the straight. I was drawn wide so I let him slide on in the lead.”

Richard Hughes (Law Enforcement, 5th) –  “He ran well but I was diapoointed that he didn’t quicken off the fijal turn after the slow pace.”

Christophe Soumillon (Zahee, 6th) – “I have nothing to say.”

Paul Hanagan (Shuruq, 7th) – “It was a messy stop-start race and turned into a four-furlong sprint.  She wasn’t in the same form as when she won here last time.”

Jose Valdivia Jr. (Dice Flavor, 8th) – “They just left us. He wasn’t fast enough.

Hideaki Miyuki (Keiai Leone, 10th) – “He was a bit mad about the horse next to us in the starting gate, so that;s why he didn’t start well.  He traveled smoothly in the backstretch, but tried to take bit when the pace became slow again.  He could not follow the filed whern the pace became faster again.  It wasn’t the Tapeta that beat us.”

Mario Gutierrez (He's Had Enough, 11th) – “I got parked wide a little bit.  My horse was so unsteady – he wanted to jump on the other horses.  He got a little warm before the race when they circled around behind the gate.  He’s not used to that in America.  It just wasn’t his day today.”

Patrick Cosgrove (Emotif, 12th) – “Very slowly run race. She was a bit keen but having said that I had a nice position and she didn’t finish off.”