Aurora, CO – It came as no surprise when the reigning Darley Horse of the Year was dubbed the morning line favorite in the field of six running in the $50,000 Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Diamond Jewel this past Monday at the historic Monmouth Park Racetrack in New Jersey. The Diamond Jewel was the third and final leg of the Triple Jewel Series, Arabian racing’s equivalent to the Thoroughbred Triple Crown. Paddys Day, the six-year-old recognizable bay stallion who has become an international icon over the last three years, drew the inside post position (#1A) for the epic one-mile race.
Ever the professional, Paddys Day barely cocked a hock when his female stablemate in the second post position (#1), Ivory Shores, protested in the starting gate and was eventually backed out, remounted, and re-entered while the rest of the field stood patiently.
Paddys Day jumped ahead of the rest of the field out of the gates, then patiently settled into third, stalking Ivory Shores and graded stakes winner Thess is Awesome. He began making a move at the ½ mile pole where he moved up three wide to contest the race, gained a short lead on the far turn when Quick And Rich made a bold, challenging move to duel with the celebrity. It was at this moment that Paddys Day showed the world why he was a legend. Paddys Day dug in, found a new gear, and pulled away in a breathtaking move that left Quick and Rich 5½ lengths behind as the superstar passed the finish line.
With this win, Paddys Day becomes the richest Arabian racehorse in U.S. history, boasting lifetime earnings of $485,346 in addition to $450,000 in bonuses winning the Triple Jewel three consecutive years in a row, bringing his total earnings to a whopping $935,346. This tops the second all-time earning U.S. Arabian racehorse, DA Adios, whose lifetime earnings were $622,048. Earnings aside, Paddys Day’s stats are perhaps even more impressive:
– Out of 33 lifetime starts since his debut in 2014, Paddys Day has claimed 22 firsts and 7 seconds
– Has won 66% of his races. He has won or placed in 88% of his races.
– Raced at eleven different tracks, six different states, two countries.
– Won at all distances, from 6 furlongs to 1 1/6 miles.
Paddys Day, a son of the great race sire Burning Sand and out of the mare AK Loretta, who is a combination of French and Polish breeding, is owned by Scott and Lori Powell of Quarter Moon Ranch, as well as trained by Scott Powell. The Powell’s purchased Paddys Day from his breeders, Ray and Jane Teutsch in August 2014. The Teutsch’s are still loyal fans of their home-bred superstar and were at Monmouth Park to see him make history on Monday.
It seemed Monday held a history-making quality to it, as Monday marked the very first time Arabians had ever run at the historic, 147-year-old track near the famed Jersey Shore. The track’s marquee event each year is the Grade 1 $1 million Haskell Invitational, which serves as one of the key prep races for the Breeder’s Cup World Championships and also a determining factor in Thoroughbred’s Eclipse Awards, which included the 2015 Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah.
But on Labor Day Monday, all eyes were on Arabians, particularly the game, lion-hearted Paddys Day who did not disappoint. And the crowds showed their approval, with a remarkable betting handle of $448,000 for the race – higher than any other race on the card.
The Triple Jewel Series is hosted by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival, which sponsors Arabian racing around the globe, and culminates each November with the world’s richest Arabian horse race, the €1,200,000 HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown in Abu Dhabi. The Festival is known for its progressive, generous, and forward-thinking ideas, as demonstrated by its most recent announcement of every Festival race now being run Lasix-free.
“I’m not sure if I can really wrap my brain around how much Paddy has accomplished this year and the history he has made,” said Lori Powell. “Additionally, Scott and I are so thankful to the Sheikh Mansoor Festival for going completely Lasix-free! This is something both Scott and I were trying to push through a couple of years ago, and it’s a dream come true to see the Festival leading the way for all of racing to follow.”
When asked if Paddys Day was approaching retirement, Powell didn’t hesitate. “Paddy loves to run and loves the track atmosphere,” she said. “I honestly don’t think he’d be happy if he were to retire anytime soon. We’ll leave that up to him!”
Paddys Day’s career is far from over… in just three weeks, he will travel to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky to run the $100,000 President of the UAE Cup. And it is safe to say he will be named the morning line favorite. Later this November, he will be once again traveling to Abu Dhabi for the €1,200,000 HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, the world’s richest Arabian race.
To view the race as well as live coverage from the entire day, visit www.Facebook.com/TheAJClub. Then mark your calendars to watch Paddys Day run under the Twin Spires on Saturday evening, September 23rd as AJC LIVE broadcasts from Churchill Downs that evening.
For more information, visit www.ArabianRacing.org.
