July 6, 2013, Pleasanton, California ~ Leonie Vethaak from the Netherlands riding One Hot Chick (Burning Sand x FC Bint Chezi x Ala Croixnoir) was the winner in the eighth of 11 rounds of the 6 F $25,000 added H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship in Pleasanton, California 6 July.
While a crowd of thousands enjoyed the warm race day, a favorite feature of the Alameda Fair, the 39-year-old Dutch rider snatched the lead from Lenas Hot Philly under the hands of USA rider, Sandee Beattie, leaving them a close second. Third in the race for amateur lady riders was Hy Hopes JPL by Djet Set de Falgas, ridden by Australia’s Helen Mooney. The favorite, Mufv It On Over unseated top German rider, Berit Weber, in the opening jump.
The winning jockey, whose home track is Duindigt, Netherlands, said: “It’s amazing. When we went up to the starting gate I was so proud that I was allowed to ride here. My horse jumped against the doors before they opened, so we started from a bit back, but she kept going.” The mother of two under 9 years old works as an equine massage therapist. One Hot Chick is owned by Warren Shelley, trained by Helen Shelly and was bred by Todd Moak.
Winning trainer Shelley said, “I loved the day! “We foaled the mare out at our place – she’s a Cal-bred. We bought her mother in foal from Todd Moak.” What did she tell her jockey before the ride? “I just said ‘stay on’. She didn’t break on top but she came from behind.”
Lenas Hot Philly is trained by Diana Skinner for owner Sam Vasquez. 
The Championship Finale, which will be a competition of the winning 11 riders, will be held in Abu Dhabi in November.
The Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup
Sam Vasquez confirmed his support of California races as he took one and two in the third race of the day, the $30,000 added 6 F Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan Arabian Cup. Sammy V (Burning Sand x Heaven Kan Wait) under rider Juan Sanchez stole the winning spot after clearing the way down the stretch from Golly Bret ridden by Eswan Flores. Third in was the Burning Sand colt, So Big Is Better ridden by Able Cedillo. The one two duo are trained by Diana Skinner for Sanchez, who said about her latest winner: “Sammy V a new horse to me. I’ve had him about two weeks and he hasn’t run in a year. He’s very classy.”
Winning jockey, Sanchez said, “I’ve been working as an apprentice and this is my first win after my release. The colt felt really strong and he did all the job…I really like riding Arabs.”
The new Chief Executive Officer of the Alameda County Fairground, Jerome Hoban, was pleased to welcome the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival to the 3 weeks of racing at Pleasanton. “Pleasanton is a home town racing facility with the oldest mile track in the USA. It’s exciting to be able to bring in an international field with the Global Arabian Festival group.”
The races were attended by members of the Arabian Racing Association of California (ARAC), Stewards of the Arabian Racing Cup (ARC), Khalfan Awad Al Nuaimi and Jasem Al Dhanhani, who attended the race on behalf of the UAE ambassador to Washington, and other officials of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Global Arabian Race Festival.
Addition of USA races
Lara Sawaya, Director of the HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Head of International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) Ladies Racing broke the exciting news of a third racing event added to the California roster. “The next move of the festival is to host two races in Los Angeles (Sheikh Zayed Cup and Wathba Stud Cup) this September 11. Next year, the festival will host three races (Sheikh Zayed Cup, HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship, and Wathba Stud Cup) in Colorado to establish a new presence for the festival there to be added to the existing races in Texas and California.”
Kathy Smoke, Arabian Racing Committee Chair, was excited about the added Arabian races at Fairplex at Pomana supported by the Global Racing Festival. “I didn’t think it could get any better. Every year when Lara Sawaya comes in the US, she does something different and it just gets better. It is wonderful for Arabian racing to have the support of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Festival.”
The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Tourism Development& Investment Company (TDIC), Invest AD Arabtec Holding PJSC, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2013, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Wathba Stud Farm, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Hotel and SPA and Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Galleries Lafayette and Toulouse Airport.
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