Emily's 13 in '13 - Dubai Sheema Classic

Every day, from today until December 31st, I will be talking about my 13 favorite races in 2013.  Some may not be on the "best races of the year" lists; these were simply events that made me feel good, got my blood pumping, or even allowed me to shed a tear or two.  These races are in chronological order, not order of preference.

Without further ado, let's begin with the first of my favorites list, the Dubai Sheema Classic in late March:




I was a fan of the pair of St. Nicholas Abbey and Joseph O'Brien ever since their confident victory in 2011's Breeders' Cup Turf. The tall, strapping stallion and his equally tall, strapping lad of a jockey seemed to make a good team, winning Grade 1 races around the globe.  In Dubai, St. Nick was looking for victory after the previous year's defeat to top stayer Cirrus des Aigles.

It would not be easy.  He would face a tough field that included Japan's 2012 Horse of the Year Gentildonna.  A remarkable filly, she had captured her country's Triple Tiara and turned back several challenges from older males, including champion Orfevre.  Now she was in Dubai, and she was there to win.  The two broke from the starting gate, chasing French filly Shareta on the lead.  It was sure to be a phenomenal showdown.

While Gentildonna was carried wide on the first turn, St. Nicholas Abbey settled in nicely behind the leader under O'Brien's confident hands.  The leggy bay stallion slowly began to edge in front of Shareta as the horses cruised around the final bend, with Gentildonna not too far behind.  In the stretch, anxious eyes watched as the Japanese filly drew into perfect position to collar the new leader, but St. Nick still had something left.  Under firm urging, he turned back the challenge of Gentildonna and began to pull away.  There was daylight between him and the filly at the wire.

The Sheema Classic should have been the race that set him up for another marvelous year, and for a while, that seemed to be the case.  In June, he became the first horse in history to win three Coronation Cups, and was training for Ascot at Ballydoyle when he fractured a pastern.  His future still hangs in the balance as he strives to not only recover from that injury but also to battle that disease we all love to hate, laminitis.

I always enjoy watching horses I love succeed on an international stage, and this certainly was no exception.  For all the sadness I still feel over St. Nick's injury and retirement, there is a certain sweet joy I feel upon watching this race unfold all over again.