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U.S. and European invaders pointing toward the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) look as if they will have a tough home-trained opponent to overcome in the shape of Asiatic Boy. Bred in Argentina, the son of Not For Sale won a maiden in his native country and finished second to the Hussonet colt, Husson, in the Gran Criterium (Arg-I). Following that effort, Asiatic Boy was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, a cousin of Sheikh Mohammed, and transferred to Dubai. There he took the Triple Crown, the final leg of which saw him capture the U.A.E Derby (UAE-II) by 9 1/2 lengths. Sent to Europe, where he was racing on grass rather than sand or dirt and was at an age disadvantage (running as a 4-year-old, when he was only six months older than most European 3-year-olds), he performed honorably in two outings. He finished fourth, beaten two lengths, in the BGC Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) and was fifth in the Juddmonte International (Eng-I). On Jan. 12, Asiatic Boy was back in Dubai making his first start since his European trip and took the Meydan Al Shindagha Sprint (UAE-III) over six furlongs, with the ex-U.S. Diabolical, making his Dubai debut, back in fourth. Diabolical had stumbled at the start.

Asiatic Boy has a considerable U.S. influence in his pedigree. Not For Sale is by Parade Marshal, a stakes-winning Caro half-brother to Buckaroo, best known in America as the sire of the grade I filly Star Parade. Himself a grade I winner in Argentina, Not For Sale has been very successful at stud in that country. His offspring include the Horse of the Year Forty Licks. Asiatic Boy's dam, U.S. foaled S. S. Asiatic, is by the Champagne (gr. I), Cowdin (gr. I) and Woodward Stakes (gr. I) winner, Polish Navy. She is out of the stakes-winning Damascus mare, Asian, a half-sister to Breeders' Futurity (gr. II) victor Slavic (by Polish Navy's sire, Danzig).

A TrueNicks A++ nick, Asiatic Boy has a rather interesting pedigree pattern, as his sire is inbred 4 x 3 to the great California-bred, Swaps, and his dam is inbred 3 x 4 to Busanda, the dam of Buckpasser. It's not surprising to find a double of Swaps and a double of Busanda working well together, as Swaps sired one of his best runners, Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Affectionately, out of Searching, who like Busanda, was by War Admiral out of a daughter of La Troienne. One of the Swaps strains in Not For Sale adds more La Troienne. This is No Robbery, the broodmare sire of Parade Marshal. He is out of Bimlette, who is by La Troienne's son, Bimelech, out of a mare by Blue Larkspur (broodmare sire of Busanda). It's worth noting that Buckpasser is in the dams of Parade Marshal's grade I winner Star Parade, and his grade II winner Terms Parade, and Not For Sale's Champion Forty Licks.

Filed under: Pedigrees and Breeding, Racing and Training