Kathy Smith is from Franklin, Tennessee and has never been to Dubai. She and former husband David bought Sage Cat in 2005 as a broodmare in foal to Street Cry, despite her generally unaccomplished racing career.
Kathy Smith (left) explains her Desert Party connection to Sarah Tregoning (middle) from Abu Dhabi’s The National
Thursday, she and a friend were looking for dry seats after the heavy morning rains at the annual Breakfast With the Stars function on the lawns at Nad Al Sheba. That dry seat happened to be the one next to mine. Bantering back and forth with some fellow media representatives at the table, we had mentioned the name of Desert Party.
“Do you think he can win?” Smith jumped in inquisitively. All of us, in agreement, believe he is the shortest priced favorite of the day and the likliest winner on the card. Smith filled up.
“I cried when he won the UAE 2000 Guineas and now to think I’m sitting here in Dubai”
The circumstances that brought Smith to Dubai are rather extreme. Sage Cat was the first thoroughbred they had purchased and even then, they thought they were taking quite a chance. “We saw her in the ring at Keeneland and we couldn’t help but keep bidding on her. She was a quirky horse, and knowing Street Cry’s behavior, I knew they made a great pairing.” The chances that on an unseasonably rainy morning in Dubai, almost eight years after purchasing the unassuming Sage Cat, Smith is repeatedly moved by the thoughts of being involved in ever-changing racing history.
Wednesday, trainer Saeed bin Suroor pronounced that Desert Party will have to win the UAE Derby to advance to try the Kentucky Derby.
“I know Sheikh Mohammed wants to win this race so much, for his own country, but it would mean the world to me to be here and see it. I’ve been to many Kentucky Derbies, but I cannot even imagine what it would be like if Desert Party wins here and goes on.”