Rewilding Takes Sheema Classic

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 26 (UPI) -- Rewilding got rolling along the outside at midstretch in Saturday's $5 million, Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic and won off by 3 1/4 lengths.

Redwood was second in the leadup to the Dubai World Cup and Calvados Blues, who was blocked at a critical moment in the stretch, settled for third, a neck farther back.

Rewilding's victory gave Godolphin Racing, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rasheed al Maktoum, their third win on the night. Calvados Blues also is a Godolphin runner.

The Sheema Classic shaped up as a wide-open race and played that way, with a compact field turning into the straight before the blue Godolphin silks set sail down the middle of the course. Rewilding quickly picked off the leaders and drew clear.

He finished the 2,410 meters or about 1 1/2 miles in course-record time of 2:29.01 with Frankie Dettori up for Mahmoud Al Zarooni, who is in just his second year of training.

"He had a long layoff but we weren't concerned," Dettori said. "He'll always be lightly campaigned because he runs best fresh. That's his key."

Rewilding, a 4-year-old, British-bred Tiger Hill colt, now has four wins from eight lifetime starts. He finished third in the Epsom Derby last summer but finished the year with a thud, getting home sixth in the St. Leger Stakes in September. He had not raced since then until Saturday.