Dick Powell’s Dubai Pick of the Week Feb. 13, 2019

Race 7 at Meydan on Thursday morning is a handicap turf race going 1 1/2 miles for older horses. It will be run around one lap of the expansive turf course and looks like it will be a sea of blue to watch since Godolphin has seven runners entered. The key to watch them is the color of the cap their rider is wearing.  Fifteen horses are entered and it should be run at a dawdling pace. FREE International Past Performances every day at Brisnet.com! ZAMAN (#3) (5-1) ran well here last year as a three-year-old. He was second in a conditions race going seven furlongs on the turf then came back at a mile and won the $150,000 Meydan Classic. The son of Dutch Art raced poorly in his next two starts in Europe but began to wake up as the races got longer. Zaman was a good second in a handicap going 1 1/4 miles then came back with a third on soft going at the same distance. His last start of 2018 was a good second on the left-handed turf course at St. Cloud going Thursday’s distance of 1 1/2 miles. Off for almost five months, the gelding returned here with a close third going 1 1/4 miles and now gets to stretch out from a good post with James Doyle, who already has a nice win on this course at this distance. Doyle rides his horses cold and, as an improving four-year-old, Zaman should be able to get the trip against many in here who are suspect going long. On the rest of the Thursday card from Meydan, I like: Race 3: BEHAVIORAL BIAS (#3) (10-1) was a solid allowance horse when racing on dirt in America. He was close to being stakes caliber when trained by Al Stall Jr. and is now stabled in Dubai with Satish Seemar. The five-year-old gelding was a good third in the Jebel Ali Mile (G3) at Jebal Ali just over two weeks ago. Race 5: ASOOF (#1) (4-1) was my pick last time she ran here and finished a well-beaten second to the heavy favorite, POETIC CHARM (#6) (1-5), in the Cape Verdi (G2) on January 17. Now, the favorite gets a three-pound weight penalty and draws outside. There is no doubt that Poetic Charm is the better filly but she will be bet disproportionately more than the difference between the two. Plus, I always like my chances with Christophe Soumillon, who stays in Asoof’s saddle for this one. Race 6: NINE BELOW ZERO (#4) (7-1) won his Dubai debut two starts back against cheaper then returned in a six-runner field to finish a distant fourth in the Al Shindagha Sprint (G3) on January 31. He drops down in class and his dirt form is as good as anyone in here. ***Thursday in Dubai is a Bonus Cash day where after you opt in and bet using the new TwinSpires platform, you can split $1,000 by making four $25 wagers (no show wagers) on four separate races. PHOTO: Meydan Racecourse in Dubai (c) Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins