Diamond Gem AA crowned champion of the US Leg of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses for the third time

ABU DHABI: The horse Diamond Gem AA achieved a remarkable feat by being crowned champion of the American leg of the UAE President’s Cup Series for Purebred Arabian Horses in its 33rd edition.

The race was held on Thursday at the historic Churchill Downs racecourse in Louisville, Kentucky, as part of the Kentucky Derby week, one of the most prestigious and renowned horse racing events in the world.

The prestigious cup series is supported by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, vice president, deputy prime minister, and chairman of the Presidential Court.

The American leg witnessed striking success through its presence within the Kentucky Derby activities, amid an exceptional crowd exceeding 60,000 spectators and broad American and international media coverage. This confirms the prestigious status the series has reached on the international stage and its ability to elevate Purebred Arabian horse racing to the ranks of major global events.

Diamond Gem AA, sired by Burning Sand out of Triumphs Pearl, owned by Betty and Joseph Gillis, trained by Jeresto Torrez, and ridden by world-class jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., performed excellently and displayed an outstanding performance that asserted his presence throughout the race, before clinching the title at the finish line with a time of 2:18:11.

The champion led the field until approaching the final turn, when the mare RB Badonkadonk surprised him with a surge. However, he intelligently regained the initiative and sprinted powerfully to secure the title for himself, retaining the crown for the second consecutive year.

The mare RB Badonkadonk finished in second place; she is sired by RB Burn out of Rich Kinkga, owned by Dat Al-Remal, trained by Jeresto Torrez, and ridden by