Country Grammer | Horse Racing Free Tips

Big Stars Twinkle As Entries Taken For Dubai World Cup Meeting

Defending G1 Dubai World Cup hero Country Grammer (Tonalist) is one of over 1,600 entries, including 892 individual horses from 21 countries, entered in the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night card.

The featured event, sponsored by Emirates Airline, attracted 171 entries. Of the 24 Group or Grade 1 winners besides the Zedan Racing-owned and Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer, is the duo's three-time Grade I winner Taiba (Gun Runner).

Joining them could be a pair of longshot headliners from last year; namely, GI Kentucky Derby champ Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and upset G1 Saudi Cup victor Emblem Road (Quality Road). Japan continues their well-documented rise on the international racing stage, and 2022 G1 Dubai Turf dead-heater Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) holds a Dubai World Cup nomination this time.

As for the rest of the card, the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic nominations includes Japanese stars like the 2022 winner Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), as well as Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), the highest-rated 3-year-old in the world last year. Standing in their way is Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby who has entered Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf.

Speaking of the Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World, the other half of the dead heat from last year in Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns, while newcomer Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) made the list. They could be facing rookie international shipper and reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). Meanwhile, the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen could pit the Steve Asmussen trainee Gunite (Gun Runner) against RRR Racing's local hero Switzerland (Speightstown).

Grass sprinting noms in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, sponsored by Azizi Developments, are led by the well-travelled Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) who could make the journey from Down Under. Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien's three wins in the G2 UAE Derby make him a logical frontrunner, especially as he has nominated GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).

The G2 Dubai Gold Cup, sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, could signal the return of 2021 winner and G1 Gold Cup hero Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}). While the rundown of entries for the G2 Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Nakheel, is marked by defending champion Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), as well as Japanese challengers like Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) and Derma Louvre (Jpn) (Pyro), plus Americans hopefuls like Pioneer Of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile) and White Abarrio (Race Day).

“We are delighted by the strength and depth of entries for this year's Dubai World Cup meeting,” said Stephanie Cooley, International Manager for the Club. “To have horses from more than 20 countries considering the trip shows the meeting's continued global appeal.”

Invitations for the meeting are set to go out during February. Click here, for the full list of the nominations.

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Dettori Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast

Riding full-time in the U.S. for the first time in his storied career, Frankie Dettori has brought his talents to Arcadia, California, where he has settled in as a regular in the Santa Anita jockey's colony. Dettori joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to discuss his three wins on opening day, his expectations for the Santa Anita meet, his search for a contender for the GI Kentucky Derby and his plans to retire after this year's Breeders' Cup. Dettori was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week.

“I couldn't really have asked for more,” he said of his opening day heroics, which included a win aboard Saudi-bound Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the GII San Antonio S. “Had Country Grammer been my only winner it would have been a great day. To get three on the board, it was amazing.”

Among the reasons Dettori came to the U.S. was the hope that he could land a Derby mount. He doesn't have one yet, but the jockey and his agent, Ron Anderson, are working on finding a candidate. He has ridden in just one Derby, finishing sixth in 2000 with China Visit (Red Ransom), an experience he called “amazing.”

“Everything is open,” he said. “I did mention to Bob Baffert that if he's got a nice 3-year-old for me to put me on. He can just give me the thumbs up. Around the time of the Big 'Cap I will have a pretty good idea if I have a nice 3-year-old or not. If I do, I will extend my stay. Usually all the trials are beginning to develop in March and April, like the Santa Derby. So everything's open. At the moment I've got two good 3-year-olds in Europe, colts and fillies. But you know, if I get an American Pharoah, that's a different ball game. I'm not saying no to anything.”

There has been a lot of news out of the Dettori camp of late. First there was the announcement that he was coming to Santa Anita, which was followed by him revealing that this will be his last year. Why stop now?

“I still get the good rides and I still feel good,” he said. “But by the end of next year I'll be 53. I want to leave a legacy where I finish on the top. This game is very fickle. You can go from hero to zero in the space of a few days. At the moment, physically, I feel that I can give my owners and my horses and my trainers 200%. I feel that if I can have one more good year, it is time to move on. My heart wants to carry on. I mean Mike Smith is a classic example. He's 57 and he is still riding at his very best. I don't want racing to stop me. I want myself to stop.”

And what will he do after he stops riding?

“I'd like to get into the media,” Dettori said. “I'd like to be a commentator. I still want to be involved in racing, but I want to be young enough that I can jump in and start something else.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by Coolmore, Lane's End, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, XBTV and https://www.threechimneys.com/ West Point Thoroughbreds, Zoe Cadman, Randy Moss and Bill Finley discussed their picks in various Eclipse Award races. In a 3-year-old male division where nothing is clear cut, Finley said he voted for GI Runhappy Malibu S. winner Taiba (Gun Runner), while Cadman and Moss voted for Epicenter (Not This Time). All three agreed that the Eclipse committee sends out the ballots too early and that no votes should be accepted before Jan. 1.

Another subject was the retirements of trainers Dale Capuano and Rick Schosberg. Two well respected successful horsemen left the sport at the end of the year and what does that say about a game where it seems that the super trainers prosper and everyone else struggles to make a go if it?

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Fox Hill Farms’ Run Has Come To A Close

The red-and-white colors of Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms will not be seen on the racetrack again. Eighteen months after Porter passed away after a long battle with cancer, the final horse still owned by Fox Hill, Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman), has been acquired by Porter's son, Scott, and will race under the name of Fox Hollow Farm. Siena Farm LLC has retained its minority interest in the horse.

“We could have kept him running in Fox Hill silks, but, accounting-wise, it made sense to put an end to that and keep things simple,” Scott Porter said. “He is a gelding, so it wasn't like we were going to sell him. I decided maybe I can race him and see where it leads.”

Royal Ship was the last horse owned by Fox Hill. Scott Porter has no immediate plans to expand his stable.

“It's not like I'm looking to start up a big racing stable,” he said. “At this point in my life, I'm not able to do that. Maybe someday that will change. I have the same love of racing my father had. I learned a lot from him and spent a lot of time with him. We were very close. I thought we might run this horse and see what happens. I am a builder. So I'm not making the kind of money my father did.”

Rick Porter passed away in June of 2021 at the age of 80. Fox Hill Farm campaigned 20 graded stakes horses and multiple champions led by Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), Hard Spun (Danzig), Omaha Beach (War Front) and Kodiak Kowboy (Posse). Three months after Porter's death it was announced that all of his horses but Royal Ship would be sold at the upcoming fall sales.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Royal Ship was imported from South America by Porter and finished third in the 2020 GII Del Mar Mile H. in his U.S. debut. Four starts later he upset Country Grammer in the GII Californian S. He beat Country Grammer again in the 2021 GII San Diego H. Royal Ship not started since finishing sixth in the GI Awesome Again S. in October.

“The horse has been on the farm for quite some time and he just had his first work back,” Scott Porter said “He has had a few ailments. It seems like he can put a couple of good races together and then he throws in a clunker. We'll give him as much time off as we can. If he's happy and wants to run again we will try to have some fun with him. It just made sense for me to take him over rather than trying to find a new home for him.”

According to Victoria Keith, who was Fox Hill's racing manager, Rick Porter owned about 15 horses at the time of his death. Fox Hill's last mare was sold in November, leaving only Royal Ship. She said Porter had stopped acquiring horses a few years before his death, aware that his health issues were a problem.

“Probably the hardest part was when we were selling the first horses,” she said. “Then after that we whittled the numbers down. It is certainly sad that we won't be seeing those red-and-white silks anymore. It was a really good run. I got to live vicariously through Fox Hill Farm when it was on top. Rick has a wonderful family. His wife and kids are very much like him.”

Scott Porter said that if Royal Ship has a successful 2023 he will look to reinvest some of the earnings into a new horse or two.

“We'll see,” he said. “That's the way my dad did it, starting small. But I don't have any false ambitions. I'm not trying to be Fox Hill Farms.”

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Dettori Off To a Flyer in California

Frankie Dettori's Southern California sojourn could scarcely have gotten off to a more positive start, as the legendary jockey rode a three-timer on the opening day of the winter/spring meeting at Santa Anita Park just outside of Los Angeles.

In the first of his four rides on Boxing Day, Dettori was reunited with the Country Grammer (Tonalist), with whom the Italian won his record-equaling fourth G1 Dubai World Cup last March, in the GII San Antonio S. (video), a potential steppingstone to yet another Middle East appearance. Handy to the pace every step, Dettori set the 5-year-old alight with two furlongs remaining and pulled away by 4 1/2 lengths at 3-5.

“I'm spending the winter here and on day one riding here, on one of the best horses in the world, the pressure was on,” said the 52-year-old. “I felt it but the horse was in great form, and I was able to enjoy the scream of the crowd and it is nice to be back at Santa Anita. What a place! What a crowd, it's amazing.”

There were more flying dismounts to come. Dettori made the most of the opportunity in the very next event, leading every step of the way to cause a 13-2 upset astride the Doug O'Neill-trained La Deuxieme Etoile (Nyquist) in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance on Santa Anita's unique downhill turf course, and he made it three on the trot aboard favoured Ballet Dancing (Medaglia d'Oro) for Simon Callaghan and the Coolmore partners in a nine-furlong allowance two races later. Dettori's mounts were unplaced in the GI Malibu S. and GI American Oaks later in the program.

One thing is clear–Dettori, who recently announced that he will hang up his tack at the end of next season, is energized and is relishing the task at hand.

“Thirty-five years went like a flash. I've got to make these last 12 months the best that I can and enjoy it,” he said. “Most of all I've had a great career, and this is where it all started, and this is where it will finish.”

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