The Cup

Darleys 2017 Results

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April 10, 2017, Los Angeles, CA – Paddys Day topped off an outstanding season in 2016 by winning the coveted Horse of The Year trophy, as well as Older Horse, at the 30th annual Darley Awards sponsored by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and held at the Dolby Theatre.

Racing in the name of Quarter Moon Ranch LLC and trained by Scott Powell, the bay stallion won the $150,000 HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan Jewel Crown bonus for the second consecutive year, 5 out of 10 starts, including 3 grade 1 stakes, and earned over $177,000. By leading sire Burning Sand, out of AK Loretta, by Virgule Al Maury, Paddys Day was bred in Texas by Jane Teutsch. His lifetime earnings are approaching $400,000.

In the other awards, RB Nash claimed the 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding, RB Kinkie the 3-Year-Old Filly, and RB Madymoisells the 4-Year-Old Filly, all for owner/breeder Dianne Waldron. Dream Pearl, owned by the partnership of Dorothy Burt, Evelyn Call, Corey Soltau and Terri Eaton, took home Champion Older Mare.

Leading jockey Ricardo Chiappe was unable to attend the ceremony to pick up his trophy for Champion Jockey. Scott Powell, who led all trainers by earnings, rounded out the night winning as Outstanding Trainer. Joe and Betty Gillis, who have been in the Arabian racing business for a quarter of a century, picked up the Darley trophies for both Outstanding Owner and Breeder just like they did last year. In addition, their colt Easter Man was named champion 4-Year-Old Colt.

In addition to the Darley trophies, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards were also presented. The Cup was extremely proud to have Steward Dianne Waldron, of Rosebrook Farm in Florida, recognized with the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Outstanding Breeder Award in recognition of her many years of breeding, raising and racing successful horses.

Stephanie Ruff Corum, publisher of Arabian Finish Line, was thrilled to win the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Outstanding Journalist Award.

The following international individuals were recognized:

~Best 3-Year-Old Filly: Amirat Esahra (Algeria)
~Best 4-Year-Old Filly: Naziq (France)
~Best Older Mare: Sylvine Al Maury (France)
~Best Lady Amateur Jockey: Cindy Klinkenberg (The Netherlands)
~Best Lady Apprentice Jockey: Kei Chiong Ka-Kei (Hong Kong)
~Best Lady Professional Jockey: Anna Pilroth (Sweden)
~Best Lady Breeder: Dianne Waldron (USA)
~Best Lady Owner: Deniz Kurtel (Turkey)
~Best Lady Trainer: Jean-Francois Bernard (France)
~Best Lady Photographer: Debbie Burt (UK)
~Best Lady TV Presenter: Josephine Chini (Sweden)
~Best Lady Journalist: Stephanie Ruff Corum (USA)
~Best Lady Endurance Rider: Mercedes Tapia (Argentina)
~Lifetime Achievement Award: Dorota Kaluba (Poland)

Saturday at The Races

Saturday saw Horse of the Year Paddy’s Day square off against 11 other rivals in the $100,000 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Award S. (Gr.1) at beautiful Santa Anita Park. It was a thrilling race that saw the favorite, ridden for the first time by thoroughbred legend Victor Espinosa, win the 1 1/16 mile race in 1:54.77, just off the track record set by Thess Is Awesome last year. Easter Man ran well for second with Sand Victor third. Even with it being the last race on the 11-race card, the on-track handle was around $700,000. As the winner, Paddys Day gets an automatic entry into the 1.2 million Euro HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan Jewel Crown in Abu Dhabi in November, a race in which he has competed in 2015 and 2016.

The Gala Dinner and Auction on Sunday

On Sunday evening, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Annual Darley Awards Gala Dinner was held at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel. The highlight of this fantastic evening was the annual Arabian Racing Cup Stallion Breeding Auction, which attracted international attention on the 9 coveted breedings. The bidding was exciting and a total of $68,500 was raised to support the Cup’s racing and breeding incentive projects. The highest bid of the auction was $23,000, paid by Nate Newby for a breeding to top stallion Munjiz.

Chief Steward Michelle Morgan expressed her excitement. “What a great weekend!” she said. “Congratulations to all the 2016 Darley winners on Friday night. Racing at beautiful Santa Anita race track was a wonderful way to celebrate Paddys Day’s big night. The Gala dinner and Arabian Racing Cup Stallion Auction were huge successes. It was a perfect weekend, and we are already looking forward to the 2017 Darleys. Thank you to HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak and Lara Sawaya for making this all possible.”

Please check back here at the Cup website for details about next year's events as they become available.

Founded in 1983 by Dr. Sam Harrison, the Arabian Racing Cup’s Darley Awards ceremony is the showcase of U.S. Arabian racing. In 2012, the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and the Cup joined together to promote this prestigious event. The Darleys are headlined by the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Darley Awards recognising international women in Arabian horse racing.

The Darley Awards is under the direction of Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the Festival, and organised by Arabian Racing Cup, The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, The  National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare  and sponsored by Al Aweer Stables, Ayadii LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf,  Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2017, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.