Los Alamitos, California: It will be a battle between the young and old generations when Los Alamitos racetrack in California hosts the third and final leg of the inaugural Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup series’ Triple Jewel competition on Saturday.

Four-year-old star Paddys Day takes on several veterans headed by So Big Is Better, a veteran at 11-years-old and three-time Darley Award winner Ms Dixie, who is a seven-year-old.

Trained by Scott Powell, Paddys Day looks set to enter the record books as the first winner of the Triple Jewel.

He has already accumlated 15 points following a second place finish (7pts) to Burning Fleet in the Amethyst Jewel, the opening race in Houston on March 7 and his big win (8pts) in the Emerald Jewel at Pleasanton.

The series is the newest edition to the HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival which carries an additional bonus of $150,000 (Dh550,787) to the top finisher of the series.

The Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Diamond Jewel is a Grade 2 contest over a mile and has attracted 11 runners.

Paddys Day has been the star Purebred Arabian in the US having won six of his seven starts this year including an imperious 18 3/4 length victory in the Grade 3 COBRA Classic at Arapahoe Park.

Kelsi Purcell will once again be aboard the son of Burning Sand.

Other notable runners include Ayers, By Golly Its Hot, Es Mi Cielo, Sand On Fire. Twice Rich, RB Rich and RB Brilliant.

Trained by Arnold Bardin, So Big Is Better has won three of 10 starts this season taking his career total to a record 28 wins.

Ramon Guce will ride Ms Dixie, the daughter of Burning Sands who is also trained by Scott Powell. The seven-year-old mare has won seven of her 14 starts over the last two years and could be a danger to Paddys Day.

“We expect a great finish to this new series for the US Purebred Arabians and this Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Triple Jewel series has already become very popular with the connections here,” said Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the Shaikh Mansoor Festival.

“This is another initiative by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who felt the need for a Triple Jewel series in the US like the Triple Crown in Europe.

“This series will go a long way in keeping the competition on at the highest level of Arabian racing.

The Shaikh Mansour Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare.