by Amanda Roxborough

Photos by Debbie Burt

The Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, located in the United Arab Emirates, was the host of the Group One 5,000,000 AED ($1,361,470) Jewel Crown race for purebred Arabians on December 4, 2022.  U.S.-bred First Classs was a favorite in the prestigious invitational event. After a successful three-year-old career in the U.S., First Classs has been running in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the last two years under a lease partnership with Cre Run Farm breeders Alan Kirshner and Deborah Mihaloff. On the December evening he put in a spectacular performance, winning the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown after holding the defending champion, Lady Princess, by a length. First Classs ran under the lease partner Nayef Saad Al Kaabi for trainer Jean de Mieulle. His jockey Ronan Thomas gave the winner a perfect ride.

The pace was strong, and First Classs started to make a move on the final turn, taking the lead to win with authority. This was not just a special win for the connections; this victory in the Gr 1 Jewel Crown made history, as it was his third $1,000,000+ USD win in just 12 months, a record for any Arabian racehorse. First Classs’ total earnings are over $1,600,000.

Bred in Virginia at Cre Run Farm, First Classs’s dam, Toppoftheclass, is by Genuine Monarch, who is by the great Monarch AH, 3/23(19-3-0)+14, whose Polish heritage is of the greatest bloodlines Poland has ever bred. Monarch AH is by *Wiking 5/37(20-10-2)+10 and out of the beautiful *Sasanka 2/14(10-0-2), winning the Oaks, the Derby and four other Stakes races. Genuine Monarch is out of Cassels Genua she being by and out of Brusally-bred horses, Brusally Zbruenu and Brusally Czestua.

Since 1986, Cre Run owner and breeder Deb Mihaloff has produced Arabians that have achieved the highest goals in all disciplines, including the current World’s best Arabian racehorse First Classs, the current World-ranked endurance horse Treasured Moments, and a champion hunter and dressage stallion, Crown Royal. Deb Mihaloff is passionate about producing equine athletes and sharing that experience. Breeding champions and offering partnerships and lease programs, Cre Run-bred horses are treasured in a variety of capacities due to their outstanding bloodlines, athleticism, heart and sound pedigrees, Cre Run Farm breeds performance athletes that exceed in all disciplines.

See coverage of First Classs’s other two million dollar wins in our June 2022 Newsletter HERE.