Dixies Valentine the Abu Dhabi entry on Preakness Stakes card

The seven-year-old mare will race in the President of the United Arab Emirates Cup, run just over a mile on the same course as the second leg of America's famous Triple Crown.

Dixies Valentine will represent the ruling family of Abu Dhabi on the Preakness Stakes card tomorrow after a Grade 1 Arabian race was arranged at Pimlico.

The US$75,000 (Dh275,490) President of the United Arab Emirates Cup will be run just over a mile on the same course as the second leg of America's famous Triple Crown.

Dixies Valentine is owned by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, the chairman of the board of the Emiri Aviation.

The seven-year-old mare had been off the track for 22 months before being put back into training last season.

She ran four times, including at Churchill Downs, the racecourse that hosted the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, in a campaign which culminated in a victory at Delaware Park in November.

"She has raced well since she had three foals and is very competitive wherever she runs," Ronaldo Martino, the trainer, said.

"She gives 100 per cent every time they go out there."

Arabian racing has been staged at numerous high-profile racecourses throughout Europe, and has shared the limelight with races such as the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh, as well as the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in England.

Dixies Valentine is based at Rigbie Farm in Maryland, which has won 18 Darley Awards, the Oscars of the Arabian racing world sponsored by the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival.

"It's wonderful for our industry," Sharon Clark of Rigbie Farm said.

"Something is happening in our industry - you can feel it. We are gaining more recognition and will be racing on the same day as the Preakness, which is exciting."

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