By Dick Downey
Updated Feb. 7 @ 1:28 p.m. ET

The top six finishers from the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial have cleared final declarations to compete in the Group 3 U.A.E. 2000 Guineas on Thursday at Meydan Racecourse. Post time is 10:45 a.m. ET.

Dark Matter, an Australian-bred based in Singapore, came up the rail to win the seven-furlong Trial on Jan. 12, with Godolphin's Kinglet and Rassam a half-length and 1 1/4 length back respectively. Kinglet, ridden by Frankie Dettori, set the pace.

Steven Burridge trains Dark Matter, a son of Stratum. Dark Matter has since come back to win a seven-furlong turf race at Meydan on Jan. 26, when he grabbed the lead late in the race. Ted Durcan was in the irons for both races.

Mehdi, Surfer and Mickdaam, fourth through sixth in the Trial, were also pre-entered in the 2000 Guineas.

Dark Matter is the only Southern Hemisphere-bred among the early entries.

Under rules in Dubai, the 2000 Guineas is limited to Northern Hemisphere-bred and Southern Hemisphere-bred 3-year-olds. The Southern Hemisphere-breds are considered 4-year-olds under North American racing rules and aren't eligible for the Kentucky Derby.

The U.A.E. 2000 Guineas carries a purse of $250,000 and will be contested at 1,600 meters, or about one mile.

Thursday, Race 3
Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas
Meydan Racecourse
Purse: $250,000
Distance: 1,600 Meters (About One Mile)
Surface: Synthetic
Post Time: 10:45 a.m. ET
For NH & SH 3YO
Weight: NH 3YO 55kg. SH 3YO 59.5kg