Racing Commission Asked to Ban Essential Quality, the Kentucky Derby Favorite
BY MARY ELLEN CAGNASSOLA
A horse owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum might not make it out of the gate at this year's Kentucky Derby after renewed allegations that the ruler of Dubai abducted his own daughter, the Associated Press reported.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) received a complaint this week from human rights attorneys and students at the University of Louisville who asked that Essential Quality, Sheikh Mohammed's horse, be banned from the Derby. They also asked that he not be allowed to enter any horses in any races until his daughter, Princess Latifa, is freed or a public hearing is held.
Sheikha Latifa bin Mohammed Al Maktoum said last spring that she is being held against her will and was detained by commandos in 2018 after trying to flee Dubai via yacht. Her 38-year-old sister, Shamsa, was abducted from Cambridge, England, in August of 2000 and has not been seen since.
A judge found last year that Sheikh Mohammed was responsible for both abductions in a case between him and his second official wife, Princess Haya, over their two children. Princess Haya fled Dubai in 2019 with their daughters in fear of her husband, she told the courts.
Essentially Quality, an undefeated grey colt, is favored 2-1 among 20 competitors and the sheikh's strongest chance of winning the Kentucky Derby after 11 tries and millions of dollars spent. The request to remove Essential Quality from the race is not expected to be honored, AP reported.
Kristin Voskul, spokeswoman for the KHRC, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The sheikh had told the the court he was relieved at having found his "vulnerable" daughter, Shamsa, after she went missing.
Princess Haya is the daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan and married Sheikh Mohammed in 2004.
The cases are particularly sensitive in Britain because of economic and historic links to Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed, who is vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is hugely influential in Britain's racing industry because of the money he spends on breeding and racing. He is friendly with fellow horse enthusiast Queen Elizabeth II.
The sheikh is well-known in Kentucky racing circles, with his Godolphin operations based at Jonabell Farm in Lexington. While the sheikh won't be among the limited fans in attendance Saturday, Churchill Downs spokesman Darren Rogers indicated the protest has little chance of success.
"Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid currently holds a valid racing license in the state of Kentucky. There have been no horse racing violations and nor are we aware of any other U.S. regulatory or governmental investigations," Rogers said.
"We are focused on the 3-year-old thoroughbreds who have earned their way into this year's Kentucky Derby and our responsibility is to the integrity of the race and the safety of those horses."
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