Almanaar may have been making his first start since mid-December, but the chestnut gelding showed no signs of rust as he earned a hard-fought neck victory in the G2 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park 25 May.
Ridden by Joe Bravo, Almanaar made a strong middle move around the far turn to challenge pacesetter Irish Strait. The Dubawi gelding then took command, opening up a one-length lead in mid-stretch. He had enough left in the tank to hold off the late bid of favored Synchrony to win by a neck.
Almanaar completed the nine-furlong turf contest in 1:45.75, a new course record.
Almanaar was bred in Great Britain and races as a homebred for Shadwell Stable. He is out of the Bahhare mare, Baqah, winner of the G2 Prix de Sandringham. Almanaar’s fourth dam was Brave Raj, 1986 Eclipse Champion juvenile filly.
Dubawi has now sired 16 individual Black Type winners in 2019, headed by G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero Old Persian.
