Tag: dubai world cup

Breeders’ Cup Classic Winner White Abarrio Training Up to Saudi Cup

Horse of the Year candidate and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) will kick off his 5-year-old campaign in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Feb. 24. A subsequent start in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Mar. 30 could be in the cards as well.

The Rick Dutrow, Jr.-trained C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC colorbearer has breezed three times at Santa Anita since Christmas Eve, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.40 (9/58) Jan. 8.

“He's gonna go over (to Saudi Arabia) from Santa Anita basically 10 days before,” C2 Racing Stable's Mark Cornett said. “That's when the plane goes over there from Miami. So, he'll fly into Miami from L.A., then he'll get on the flight with the rest of the horses from the U.S. going over to Riyadh.”

Cornett continued, “He's on his game, I'll tell you that. We backed off him a little bit (after the Classic). He's been working very good. They're easy works, nothing serious yet. The horse is such a good work horse.”

The Saudi Cup will be White Abarrio's first start since concluding his 2023 season with a powerful win as the 5-2 favorite in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 4. The longshot runner-up that day Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) could potentially return for a rematch in the Saudi Cup.

Was a prep race–i.e., the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27–ever in play for White Abarrio before heading to the Middle East?

“Not really,” Cornett replied. “The timing, I don't understand why the Pegasus doesn't move their race and give you some more time to the Saudi Cup. It just isn't enough time with flying and everything else. You can't justify going to that race when you've got $20 million on the table.”

C2 Racing Stable's Mark Cornett (center) | Benoit

White Abarrio's seven-career victories have come at six different distances ranging between 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. The 1 1/8-mile distance of the Saudi Cup is contested around one turn. The handsome gray's resume includes two wins at the Saudi Cup distance, albeit both around two turns, in the 2022 GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and last summer's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga.

“We think that's gonna be what he really wants to do,” Cornett said. “He can do pretty much everything–he can sprint, he can go seven furlongs, he can go a one-turn mile, he can go 1 1/4 miles, etc. The one-turn 1 1/8 miles could be his absolute best.”

As for the appeal of the Saudi Cup, Cornett continued, “It's the distance and the purse money. It's those two factors and you combine them. Plus, it leaves the door open for the Dubai World Cup. It's possible. Obviously, we would be over there already. But the horse has to come out of the race the right way. He has to run the right way, too. If he has to run too hard, we'll pass and get him back over here and get him ready for the Saratoga meet.”

In addition to a runaway win in the Whitney with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 110 and a decisive victory in the headliner at the Championships three months later, White Abarrio's 2023 season also featured a better-than-it-looked third-place finish after stumbling at the start in the prestigious GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park June 10. Previously campaigned by Saffie Joseph, Jr., White Abarrio was transferred to Dutrow prior to the Met Mile.

White Abarrio is a finalist for champion older dirt male at the upcoming 53rd Eclipse Awards to be held at The Breakers Palm Beach Jan. 25. Horse of the Year finalists won't be announced until that evening.

“It's nice to be in the conversation,” Cornett said. “In my opinion, he won the two most prestigious route dirt races in the U.S.– the Whitney and the Breeders' Cup Classic. Obviously, he doesn't have the storyline of a Cody's Wish. But it just depends how much the voters are gonna factor that into the equation.”

Cornett concluded, “We're not in it to win these things. We're in it to manage the horse the right way. Things that are out of our control, whatever happens, we're ok with that.”

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Defunded Will Point Towards Saudi Cup For New Connections

Two-time Grade I winner Defunded (Dialed In) will point towards the G1 Saudi Cup for new connections after having been privately purchased. The news, announced Saturday evening via a release, notes that the colt was bought for an undisclosed sum by Dr. Muhaideb Abdullah Almuhaideb's HDB Racing Stable, a new Saudi Arabian owner, and arrived in Saudi Arabia Dec. 18.

“He is an exceptional horse and has the profile, hopefully, to be a great asset to Riyadh racing and to do well in the Saudi Cup,” said Khalid Mishref.

In addition to the Saudi Cup, the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse is also possible.

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Ushba Tesoro Plays Role of ‘Fire’ Extinguisher in Tokyo Daishoten

Friday's G1 Tokyo Daishoten marked a first and much-anticipated battle between reigning G1 Dubai World Cup hero Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and the upstart 3-year-old Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister), perfect in his seven starts and winner of the unofficial Japan Dirt Triple Crown this past season. The showdown never really materialized, however, as the latter never reached contention after playing up in the stalls, and the odds-on Ushba Tesoro ran down his commonly owner front-runner Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) to successfully defend his title in the 2000-metre contest. Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who won the G1 Hopeful S. on the turf 12 months ago, but has thrived on the dirt this term, stayed on well for third after chasing the pace.

As it was on World Cup night, Ushba Tesoro was not particularly quickly away and therefore settled last but one into the first corner, as Wilson Tesoro, who flashed home to finish second behind Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) and ahead of Dura Erede in the Dec. 8 G1 Champions Cup (1800m), galloped them along at a decent tempo over the notoriously deep surface at Oi. Racing three wide as Mick Fire provided some crucial cover down the back straight, Ushba Tesoro was pulled out and around his younger rival at the 600 metres, with Wilson Tesoro and Dura Erede a good eight to 10 lengths ahead. Steered out widest leaving the 400-metre peg behind, Ushba Tesoro leveled out and grabbed Wilson Tesoro in the dying strides, covering those final 600 metres in a race-fastest :37 flat. Mick Fire could produce no rally and beat just one home.

Given a lengthy spell to recover from his World Cup success, Ushba Tesoro was an easy winner of the Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Sept. 27 as a single prep for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He put in a long, sustained rally over the Santa Anita mile and a quarter Nov. 4, but had too much to do and finished a creditable fifth to White Abarrio (Race Day) and compatriot Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits).

“He's a very tough horse, so I was hoping he could run well,” winning jockey Yuga Kawada told Netkeiba. “The horse will remain active next year, so we appreciate the support as he goes to challenge the world again.”

Trainer Noboru Takagi indicated that the early-season goals could include the G1 Saudi Cup in February in addition to a defence of his title at Meydan the following month.

Of the eighth-placed Mick Fire, trainer Kazuo Watanabe told Netkeiba: “The start for him was a pity. Even if he finished second or third and lost, I wanted to see him run his race. There is room for growth and we will be starting from scratch again.”

 

Ushba Tesoro | Horsephotos/Tomoya Moriuchi

 

Pedigree Notes:

Ushba Tesoro's second dam Sixieme Sens was ridden by Freddy Head to victory in the 1995 Listed Prix Bagatelle for trainer David Smaga and Mme Marc de Chambure and went on to continue her career in the US under the tutelage of the late Bobby Frankel for whom she won the GIII Athenia S. in New York and the GII Dahlia H. in 1996 and the GII San Gorgonio H. the following season. Dr Masatake Iida purchased Sixieme Sens for $750,000 when offered in foal to Gone West at the 1997 Keeneland November Sale and exported her to Japan. Her second foal for Iida's Chiyoda Farm Shizunai became the stakes-winning Bold Brian (Jpn) (Brian's Time), while Millefeui Attach, a three-time winner of better than $466,000, was Sixieme Sens's eighth produce and one of her nine winners from 12 to the races.

Ushba Tesoro races for the Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co., which has also campaigned the likes of US-bred Japanese listed winner Aurora Tesoro (Malibu Moon) and the multiple stakes winner and Group 1-placed Rieno Tesoro (Speightstown) to name but a few. Ushba Tesoro cost the operation ¥25 million ($219,250) as a foal when consigned by Chiyoda Farm to the 2017 JRHA Select Sales. The operation purchased the dam of Wilson Tesoro for $225,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale and sent her to Equinox's sire Kitasan Black (Jpn) in 2018 after winning a pair of minor races in Japan.

Millefeui Attach is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Asia Express (Henny Hughes) and a yearling filly from the first crop of 2019 G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen hero Mr Melody (Scat Daddy). The mare foaled a filly by Group 1-winning turf sprinter Matera Sky (Speightstown) this past Apr. 29 and was reunited with Orfevre this year.

Friday, Oi, Japan
TOKYO DAISHOTEN-G1, ¥170,000,000, Oi, 12-29, 3yo/up, 2000m, 2:07.30, std.
1–USHBA TESORO (JPN), 126, h, 6, Orfevre (Jpn)
      1st Dam: Millefeui Attach (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
      2nd Dam: Sixieme Sens, by Septieme Ciel
      3rd Dam: Samalex (GB), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire)
(¥25,000,000 Wlg '17 JRHAJUL). O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings;
B-Chiyoda Farm (Jpn); T-Noboru Takagi; J-Yuga Kawada;
¥100,000,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-UAE, 32-11-1-5,
$10,427,845. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-
style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Chesutoke
Rose, by Uncle Mo. O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings; B-Ryoken
Farm (Jpn); T-Hitoshi Kotegawa; J-Yusuke Hara; ¥35,000,000.
3–Dura Erede (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Duramente (Jpn)–Marchesa (Jpn),
by Orfevre (Jpn) (¥100,000,000 Ylg '21 JRHAJUL). O-Three H
Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Manabu Ikezoe; J-Bauyrzhan
Murzabayev; ¥20,000,000.
Margins: HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 0.70, 13.20, 10.90.
Also Ran: Notturno (Jpn), King's Sword (Jpn), Gloria Mundi (Jpn), Tenkaharu (Jpn), Mick Fire (Jpn), Mangan (Jpn).
Click for the goracing.jp chart.

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Ushba Tesoro No Sure Thing In Daishoten Defence

While the final of the roughly two dozen Group 1 races on the Japan Racing Association was scheduled for Thursday, the Tokyo Daishoten–the only recognized international Group 1 event and pattern race of any variety on the National Association of Racing circuit–takes place Friday afternoon at Ohi Racecourse in the Japanese capital.

Under normal circumstances, the discussion of the 2000-metre dirt affair would begin and end with Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), whose victory here 12 months ago catapulted him to future success on the world stage in the G1 Dubai World Cup. Set for a start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic almost before he even got his picture taken at Meydan, the 6-year-old impressed in his local prep prior to departing for America in late September. He certainly didn't run a poor race at Santa Anita, as he was left entirely too much to do and wound up fifth behind White Abarrio (Race Day). It's just 55 days since a trip to the States and back again, not to mention a race in between, and he could be vulnerable.

That theory might ring true no matter the competition, but Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) will present a stiff challenge in a race that could very well propel him to overseas targets. The 3-year-old colt is unbeaten and–really–unchallenged in seven career starts to date, all on the NAR. All but one of those starts have come at Ohi, including the Listed Japan Dirt Derby back in July, and he prepped for this with a defeat of 2023 GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby) in the Derby Grand Prix (allowance) over the course and distance Oct. 1.

While dual Group 1 winner Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) swerves this event in favour of potential appearances in the Middle East over the coming months, those that finished immediately behind him in the G1 Champions Cup three weekends ago take their chances. Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) flashed home strongly to finish runner-up at Chukyo, outfinishing Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who caused a major boilover in last year's Hopeful S., but seems to have found a home on the dirt. Bauyrzhan Murzabayev has the call.

The 4-year-old King's Sword (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) is another talented dirt runner for his sire and punched his ticket to the Daishoten with an easy victory over Notturno (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})—second in this last year–in the Listed JBC Classic over the course and distance Nov. 3.

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