Mon | Dec 30, 2024

Returning Desert of Malibu a shoo-in for Gold Cup

Published:Thursday | October 3, 2024 | 12:12 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
DESERT OF MALIBU, ridden by Raddesh Roman, wins the three-year-old and upwards graded stakes/open allowance None Such Sprint Trophy over six furlongs at Caymanas Park on September 14.
Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer
DESERT OF MALIBU, ridden by Raddesh Roman, wins the three-year-old and upwards graded stakes/open allowance None Such Sprint Trophy over six furlongs at Caymanas Park on September 14.

DESERT OF MALIBU’s smashing return off a five-month lay-up, toying with fellow importees, WALL STREET TRADER and IS THAT A FACT, resembled the DESERT OF MALIBU, who went 4-0 before being hit with disqualification in the Bruceontheloose Cup last Mouttet Mile day, followed by a host of issues pointing to an underlying problem.

Though DESERT OF MALIBU had rebounded from disqualification in the Bruceontheloose to beat fellow American MADELYN’S SUNSHINE at six furlongs on January 13, she had to do it the hard way, raring at the start and spotting the field almost a dozesn lengths, before staging one of the most dramatic come-from-behind performances ever seen at Caymanas Park to clock 1:12.3.

A month later, DESERT OF MALIBU was again up to her antics but paid the price at five furlongs straight, unable to recover against much-improved stablemate SENSATIONAL MOVE, who made all the running, beating her into fourth place behind course-specialist EMPEROROFTHECATS and MADELYN’S SUNSHINE.

DESERT OF MALIBU did enough on return in March’s Saint Cecelia Cup, beating FURTHER AND BEYOND and A GIFT FROM BEN at six and a half furlongs. However, she somehow didn’t seem to be the same horse that had clocked fantastic times of 1:05.2 for five and a half furlongs and 1:38.2 for mile.

This was borne out in her following race, April’s Lady Geeta, in which she appeared to struggle against long-in-the-tooth MAHOGANY and journeyman A GIFT FROM BEN, leading to disqualification for interference, a decision afterwards reversed in the Jamaica Racing Commission’s boardroom.

Evidence of DESERT OF MALIBU’s troubles was afterwards revealed by the vet’s list, deemed lame, despite beating A GIFT FROM BAN and MAHOGANY by three and a half lengths, a relatively slow 1:13.2, which told the tale of the tape.

Gary Subratie gave the five-year-old American some time off and corrected whatever was necessary, resulting in her making a mockery of Jason DaCosta’s pair in the None Such Sprint, intended rabbit MADELYN’S SUNSHINE and closer IS THAT A FACT, neither of whom impacted the six-furlong event, which DESERT OF MALIBU dominated from the off, clocking 1:10.4.

It’s simple. DESERT OF MALIBU is back and won’t be beaten in Saturday’s Philip Feanny Gold Cup at seven furlongs.