Work Still To Be Done With Desert Of Malibu - Gary Subratie

KINGSTON, Jamaica - The Grade One ranked imported mare, Desert of Malibu, may have claimed a decisive victory in the 6 ½ furlongs Saint Cecelia Trophy on Saturday, March 23, 2024, yet her trainer Gary Subratie insists there is room for improvement, especially tempering her behaviour at the starting gates.

Subratie, while expressing satisfaction with her performance, highlighted a persistent issue that could hamper her future success. "Desert of Malibu is undeniably gifted," he remarked, "but her starts remain a challenge. She has a tendency to lag at the gates."

After a recent concerning incident where she was slow off the mark racing down the five straight, the team has been focusing on improving her gate starts. "We have put in significant efforts with Desert of Malibu at the gates," Subratie revealed.

Despite not breaking sharply on Saturday, Desert of Malibu demonstrated her quality by settling into stride and securing the win with an impressive time. "She may not have been the quickest out of the gate, but she rallied, led comfortably, and clocked an excellent time," Subratie stated.

The trainer underlined his commitment to her progress, "My responsibility extends beyond just keeping Desert of Malibu healthy and fit; it includes ongoing work to enhance her gate performance."

Owned by Houston Stables, trained by Subratie, and guided by jockey Raddesh Roman, Desert of Malibu dominated the race from 5 ½ furlongs out, cruising to a 3-length victory in a time of 1:19.4 (23.1 x 47.0 x 1:12.2).

She maintained a steady pace until the half-mile turn, where she accelerated past her competitors and, with ease, outpaced rivals Further and Beyond, piloted by Devon A Thomas, and A Gift From Ben to secure her place across the finish line.

As Desert of Malibu continues to showcase her prowess on the track, Subratie's dedication to perfecting her technique is unwavering. "The work continues with Desert of Malibu," he affirmed, signalling that this victory is just one stride in a longer race to excellence.

With that win in the Saint Cecelia, Desert of Malibu’s career record now stands at eight starts with six wins, and earnings of just over $4 million.