Dark Saffron goes gate-to-wire in the Golden Shaheen (Dubai Racing Club)
By Ben Baugh
Dark Saffron’s victory in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse on April 5 proved to be a shocker, as the 3-year-old won the 6-furlong contest in gate-to-wire fashion, drawing the attention of the world, as all eyes seemed to be glued to watching the 3-year-old dispatch a talented field of older horses. However, one set of eyes had a particular interest, Ocala-based consignor Julie Davies, who broke and trained the dark bay colt.
“I was at OBS, I was sitting on the bench in the middle of my barn at OBS, I can’t even remember who was sitting next to me. Somebody came to watch it with me, I was so fixated on the phone watching it,” said Davies.
The Ahman bin Harmash charge fended off the challenges of Nakatomi and Tuz in securing the victory under the confident handling of jockey Connor Beasley. However, Davies shared her enthusiasm with anyone in ear shot of her, while the race was unfolding.
“It looked like he was going to get beat at the end, and I was screaming so loud, I’m sure the whole grounds could hear me,” said Davies. “I was screaming at my phone c’mon. And then I said, ‘he’s not giving up.’ This little horse is digging in with everything he has. He ran big, he tried hard. I was excited. I’m sure at least a couple of barns over could hear.”
Dismissed by the wagering public, Dark Saffron hardly seemed to notice he wasn’t getting support from the bettors and kept to the task at hand. However, being overlooked isn’t something that was completely foreign, as he didn’t seem to draw all that much attention at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
“It was great, obviously he went off at long odds, nobody else thought he was going to win,” said Davies, laughing. “I bought that horse out of Book Six at Keeneland. Nobody except me had any interest in the horse. You always like to have someone to say, ‘Yeah, you should buy him.’ But I just couldn’t get him out of my head. So, I said, ‘You know what, I don’t need anyone else to like him. I’m going to buy this little horse.’ He was a little on the smaller side. I thought he would grow up and get better. He looked the part to me.”
It was the sale that should have happened, but it appeared that it wasn’t going to be, and then it was, after Davies received encouragement to purchase the racing prospect under the name of Racoon Racing from Brookdale Sales.
“I was driving home, and I had someone bid on him for me, and he RNA’d, they wouldn’t take any less than they wanted for him,” said Davies. ”They only wanted $25,000 for him, and I’m driving, my boyfriend said to me, ‘Would you shut up and buy the horse already.’ He said, ‘You’ve been going on about this horse for two days.’ I called them back, and I said, ‘I’ll give you the $25,000.’ It was even more gratifying, all you people that didn’t like my horse, how do you like him now?”
The promising colt was purchased out of the 2024 OBS Spring Sale for $120,000 by Harmash Racing. The son of Flameaway races in the silks of Sultan Ali.
“He trained really well,” said Davies “He was always straight forward, enjoyed his job. He was kind of a push button horse you wish you had a barn full of. He just did his job right al the time, and obviously he worked fast at the sale. We sure went in there knowing he was quick, but you never know how quick, and if luck’s going to be on your side on the day. So, we knew he had ability. But from there, obviously the connections afterwards have done a great job with him. They’ve done a fantastic job with him and got him to where he is. I’m very proud of him.”
However, luck wouldn’t be on Davies side as she tried to secure Dark Saffron’s sibling, whose dam Meadow Saffron is by Military.
“I got outbid on the half-brother that I was so sure I was buying,” said Davies. “One of my friends outbid me. We were bidding against each other, on opposite sides of the podium at Fasig-Tipton. I stuck my head around there, when it was done, and I was like ‘You…’ I like this horse (Dark Saffron) so much, the half-brother is very pretty, don’t get me wrong, but I love this horse. I’m going to buy the half-brother now. I’m going to go back to the well.”
Dark Saffron has now bankrolled $1,260,616 and has secured a place in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Gr. 1) with his victory.
“It just goes to show you, he was a little $25,000 purchase and look what he’s done,” said Davies. “They can come from anywhere.”
