Sheik Mohammed bin Rasheed al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, may finally have a legitimate threat to win the Kentucky Derby. Or two. Under his various racing names, Mohammed has won many of the world's top races and always is a major player at the major auctions. But he has never come close to winning the Kentucky Derby in multiple attempts. Many of those efforts have come with colts trained and prepped in Dubai, which has proved not to be a winning combination. Saturday, Mohammed won two of the early U.S. derby preps -- one on each coast -- and both winning colts are set to continue down the Road to the Roses. Out of Bounds stalked the pace in Saturday's $100,000, Grade III Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, came three-wide into the stretch and went on to score by a half length over Secret Circle, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner. Longview Drive was third and Handsome Mike and Hierro completed the order of finish. Out of Bounds, a homebred from the sheik's Darley Racing, is by Discreet Cat, who won the 2006 UAE Derby but never raced in the U.S. Triple Crown series, out of the Unbridled's Song mare Unbridled Elaine, a Breeders' Cup winner. He ran the two-turn mile in 1:34.56 with Garret Gomez up for trainer Eoin Harty. Out of Bounds was fourth in his career debut during the fall, then won last month at Hollywood Park. Harty compared Out of Bounds to Colonel John, the horse he saddled to win the Sham and the Santa Anita Derby four years ago, then to a sixth-place finish in the Run for the Roses. "He's the closest thing to Colonel John I've had in a long time," the conditioner said. He's come around mentally as well as physically and sometimes it takes a while for both to catch up. He said Out of Bounds' next race will be one of the further preps for the Santa Anita Derby but he hasn't decided which. Secret Circle's trainer, Bob Baffert, said his colt, making his first start around two turns, "just got beat. He didn't shut it down ... . He wasn't exhausted when he came back, so it was a good experience for him. It was the first time he was able to rate off of horses. I think he got a lot out of it. Mohammed's second win of the day came in New York, under the banner of Godolphin Racing. Alpha bobbled at the start of the $150,000 Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct, raced wide through most of the event and still drew off with relative ease at the end, winning by 2 1/2 lengths over Stephanoatsee. Il Villano finished third. Alpha, bred by Darley but owned by Godolphin, got the 1 mile and 70 yards on the fast inner track in 1:42.83 under Ramon Dominguez. He is a Bernardini colt out of the Nijinsky II mare Munnaya. "He galloped out so strong that I had to get an outrider to pull him up," Dominguez said. You always have to go just by what you have seen, but judging by today he should be able to handle more distance. Alpha finished second to Union Rags in the Grade I Champagne at Belmont in the fall but then got home 11th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. "For sure I'll have to talk to the Godolphin people," winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said, though he added he expects Alpha to stay in the New York to prep for the April 7 Wood Memorial. "It was a great day," the trainer said. Elsewhere on the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks trails: Mr. Prankster came five-wide around his rivals in Saturday's $50,000 Turfway Prevue Stakes for 3-year-olds at Turfway Park and kicked clear in the stretch, winning by 3 1/2 lengths as the heavy favorite. Magical Season was the best of the rest and Frankie Is Rock finished third. Mr. Prankster, a Kentucky-bred It's No Joke colt, ran the 6 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:18.96 with John McKee up. Mike Maker saddled the first two finishers in an early prep for the Spiral Stakes. "The race set up well for us and we let the speed go," McKee said. I was in a good position down the backside, and turning for home, when I asked him, he was there. Mike had him ready to go and I was just a passenger. Captivating Lass caught pacesetting favorite Sweet Seventeen in the late going in Saturday's $100,000 Busanda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, scoring by a neck. Lady Clara was well back in third. Captivating Lass, a Kentucky-bred A.P. Indy filly out of the Quiet American mare Folk, got the 1 mile and 70 yards on the fast inner track in 1:43.74 with Mike Luzzi up. Meanwhile, back in Dubai Australian Craig Williams scored a crucial victory Friday on Graymalkin in the third leg of this week's Meydan Masters International Jockeys' Challenge, then took the trophy on the wings of an Angel's Desire second, despite coming up a photo-finish head short to Christophe Lemaire aboard Firestreak on the fourth and final leg of this third edition of the Challenge. "These jockey competitions are great fun and it is brilliant to win one here in Dubai at such a magnificent venue," said a beaming winner. Colm O'Donoghue won the first leg on Thursday, but could not hold on to the lead as Williams finished with 110 points to O'Donoghue's 96. Lemaire's last-leg win gave Williams the victory as the French rider was one of only four of the 12 competing jockeys out of contention for the win entering the final race. Japan's Kenichi Ikezoe took the second leg riding Street Act. Williams' Meydan Masters victory renews a run of international success that includes his December win in the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin aboard Dunaden. It also completes a turnaround for Williams, who was forced to sit out The Melbourne Cup, Australia's premier thoroughbred race, with a suspension. Lemaire captured that prize, also won by Dunaden. Sheikh Mohammed was present Friday at Meydan as Gamilati, 3-year-old daughter of Bernardini, scored a victory under Frankie Dettori on the all-weather Tapeta in the 1400 meter UAE Guineas Trial. Trainers Satish Seemar and Mubarak bin Shafya and both scored doubles Friday. Seemar scored a first and last race double with Sand Stamp and Lord Tiger. Bin Shafya won with Graymalkin and Jamr. Speculation continues that Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom is being pointed to the March 31 Dubai World Cup. The 4-year-old son of Leroidesanimaux notched his second workout following surgery for a slab fracture. Trainer Graham Motion hopes to test the colt's readiness in Florida or Dubai next month. Silver Charm won the 1998 Dubai World Cup and is the only Derby winner to date to have run in the Dubai World Cup. Elsewhere: Uh Oh Bongo came three-wide into the stretch in Saturday's $150,000 Grade II San Pasaqual Stakes, took the lead and easily held off the favorite, Tres Borrachos, to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The early leader, Skipshot, held on for third. Uh Oh Bongo, a 5-year-old, Arizona-bred son of Top Hit out of the French Deputy mare French Debutante, ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:41.44 with Mike Smith up. Smith said Aaron Gryder, who had ridden Uh Oh Bango in his last two races, told him the horse was one-paced, so he decided to let him run close to the leaders "and he got brave early. I moved early with him and it worked out. I'll tell you, he galloped out strong to about the half-mile pole, so there's more left. Caracortado came from last of just four starters to win Sunday's $100,000, Grade III Daytona Stakes down the hillside turf course. With Rafael Bejarano up, the 5-year-old, California-bred Cat Dreams gelding got clear late to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Victory Pete. Mr Gruff and Regally Ready dead-heated for the other two spots, another half length back. Caracortado ran the "about" 6 1/2 furlongs over firm going in 1:11.59. Old Bushmill overhauled front-running favorite Kissimmee Kyle in the late going of Saturday's $60,000 Dixie Poker Ace Stakes for Louisiana-breds and got home first by a half length. Blackntansatlarrys, who would have been a great hunch exact with the winner, finished third but was disqualified to fifth, promoting Wildrally to the show money. Old Bushmill, a 4-year-old North Light colt, ran the "about" 1 mile on firm turf in 1:37.95 with Shaun Bridgmohan up. Heavenly Landing had to wait for running room before launching a stretch bid from well back in Saturday's $100,000, Grade III Marshua's River Stakes, then charged down the lane to win by a nose over La Reine Lionne. Tapitsfly was just another head back in third and the favorite, Daveron, got home fifth. Heavenly Landing, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred Pulpit mare, ran the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:41.70 with Corey Lanerie in the irons. "My trip wasn't the greatest but thankfully I found some room just in the nick of time," Lanerie said. It might have been close at the wire, but I think she was by far the best horse today. R Holiday Mood and Delightful Mary dead-heated for the win in Sunday's $60,000 Ocala Stakes for state-bred fillies and mares. The favorite, All Due Respect, finished third. The mile on a fast track went in 1:37.25. Action Andy drew off in the stretch to post a mild upset win in Saturday's $60,000 Pelican Stakes, winning by 3 1/2 lengths over Good Lord. Why Pretend finished third. Action Andy, a 5-year-old, Maryland-bred Gators N Bears gelding, ran the 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.58 with Jesse Garcia riding. Caixa Eletronica rallied from last of five to win Sunday's $75,000 Rise Jim Stakes, drawing off late to score by 4 3/4 lengths over Regal Revenge. J J's Lucky Train pulled in third. Caixa Eletonica, a 7-year-old, Kentucky-bred Arromanches horse out of the Skip Away mare Edyta, got the 6 furlongs on the fast inner track in 1:11.04 with Cornelio Velasquez up. Quiet Again dueled with Red Lead through most of Sunday's $50,000 Winsham Lad Stakes before finally prevailing by a head over that rival. Vamoose finished third. Quiet Again, a 7-year-old, Texas-bred Real Quiet gelding, ran 1 mile and 70 yards on a fast track in 1:40.88 under Duane Sterling.