Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has purchased leading USA colt Sweet Ducky for the G2 UAE Derby on March 26.

Sweet Ducky (3c Pulpit – Storm’s Darling by Storm Boot) was being prepared for the G1 Florida Derby but will fly to Dubai tomorrow with a contingent of horses bound for the World Cup program.

He was a last-start second in the G1 Holy Bull Stakes for original owners George and Lori Hall.  They had bought him for $135,000 at the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale.

South African trainer Herman Brown supervises Kadyrov’s runners in Dubai and he predicted Sweet Ducky could also wind up running in the Russian Derby this summer.  

Kadyrov clinched the Russian Derby quinella last year when North Stream (Giant’s Causeway) defeated Mikhail Glinka (Galileo).  The winner was a $45,000 buy at the 2008 Keeneland yearling sale while the runner-up had won the G3 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot for Coolmore.

Kadyrov and Brown also are expected to start Bankable (Medicean) in the G1 Dubai Duty Free on the World Cup program.  He was second home in last year’s Dubai Duty Free to Al Shemali (Medicean) and he warmed up for this year’s event with a G3 victory in the Mahab al Shimaal.

Kadyrov made headlines during 2009 Flemington spring carnival when his stayer Mourilyan collected $420,000 for finishing third in the Melbourne Cup.

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said the prizemoney should have been held by the Federal Government due to concerns it might be used to fund Kadyrov’s dictatorship.  Kadyrov wasn’t at Flemington for the Cup.  He watched the race from the Chechen capital, Grozny.