Tag: gunite

MGISW Echo Zulu Earns Fastest Six Furlong Beyer Of The Year, Ballerina Could Be Next

Winchell Thoroughbreds and L and N Racing's Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) has won three Grade Is and earned an Eclipse Award, but in Wednesday's GII Honorable Miss H. the 4-year-old filly added to her resume when she posted a Beyer Speed Figure of 112–the fastest number recorded by any horse going six furlongs this year.

“I'm extremely proud of her race. That obviously was an impressive race and that would put a [big] number on it,” Asmussen said. “I'm very happy with how she came out of the race yesterday. I'm unbelievably impressed with her and I honestly didn't expect anything less.”

While the GI Ballerina H. Aug. 26 at Saratoga is the likely next target for Echo Zulu, neither Asmussen nor Winchell Thoroughbreds' racing manager David Fiske ruled out a future start against males.

“It probably has everything to do with how Gunite [by Gun Runner, who is entered in Saturday's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.] does in the division with the common ownership,” Asmussen said. “But I'm definitely not scared to run her against anybody. We'll do whatever is best for the other horses that Winchell and L and N own.”

Winchell and Asmussen also campaign MGSW and MGISP Wicked Halo (Gun Runner), who won last weekend's Twin Bridges S. at Ellis Park.

“The plan last week was that if Wicked Halo ran well and Echo Zulu ran well, they would both show up in the Ballerina,” said Fiske. “We'll try to keep everyone healthy and go on down the path. People are speculating that Echo Zulu should go to the [GI] Breeders' Cup Sprint and pass the [GI Breeders' Cup] Filly and Mare Sprint. We do have Wicked Halo, but I don't know what we would do with Gunite because he could win the Sprint, too.”

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Sibelius Neutralizes Switzerland In Golden Shaheen Thriller

The connections of SIBELIUS (g, 5, Not This Time–Fiery Pulpit, by Pulpit) have enjoyed themselves as much or more than anyone in the build-up to  the Dubai World Cup program and as night began to fall over Meydan Saturday, the chestnut just kept coming up the fence beneath Ryan Moore and dropped his head on the wire just ahead of defending champion Switzerland (Speightstown) to take the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel. Drawn the fence and over a dirt surface that had been playing kind enough to front-runners, Sibelius broke well but was outfooted and raced in about fifth position while hugging the fence. Fourth as Hopkins (Quality Road), Sound Money (Flatter) and Gunite (Gun Runner) lined up at the head of the lane, Moore–who had early won the G2 Dubai Gold Cup going two miles on the grass–was relentless, pumping with his left arm while using a right-handed stick and he managed to shove Sibelius across the line first in the tightest of tight photos. Sales history: $100,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $62,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN; $75,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. O-Jun H Park & Delia Nash; B-Taylor Brothers Properties LLC, Pollock Farms, Patrick H. Payne et al; T-Jeremiah O'Dwyer.

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Country Grammer Leads North American Charge Into DWC Night

WinStar Farm, Commonwealth Thoroughbreds and Zedan Racing's defending G1 Dubai World Cup champion Country Grammer (Tonalist) tops a dozen North American entries for the Dubai World Cup program at Meydan Racecourse Saturday, Mar. 25. The prospective fields were revealed overnight by the Dubai Racing Club.

The 6-year-old is one of 13 in the field for the $12-million centerpiece of the meeting, including no fewer than eight runners from Japan topped by Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who registered a half-length defeat of Country Grammer in the G1 Saudi Cup last month. Emblem Road (Quality Road), who upset Country Grammer in the 2022 Saudi Cup, is set to make the trip over from Riyadh.

In terms of numbers, the U.S. supplies five of the 13 likely starters the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, whose defending American-bred champion Switzerland (Speightstown) is also engaged. Gunite (Gun Runner) gave an excellent account of himself when making his seasonal debut in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, finishing runner-up to champion Elite Power (Curlin), while the in-form Sibelius (Not This Time) ships in for Midlantic-based conditioner Jerry O'Dwyer and will be ridden by Ryan Moore. Hopkins (Quality Road), a latest winner of the GIII Palos Verdes S., also represents the Bob Baffert barn, while C Z Rocket (City Zip) was a late addition to the field. Super Ocho (Chi) (Dubai Sky) is one of two World Cup night entries for trainer Amador Sanchez, who also sends out Gulfstream allowance winner Super Corinto (Arg) (Super Saver) in the G2 Godolphin Mile.

The G2 UAE Derby is the first race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby that offers the winner 100 points, and three American-based sophomores are in the mix. Two of those wintered in Dubai for Doug O'Neill, namely Tall Boy (Lookin At Lucky), fourth to Practical Move (Practical Joke) in last year's GII Los Alamitos Futurity, who handed Charles Fipke's Shirl's Bee (Bee Jersey) a one-length loss in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas over a mile Feb. 10. Ah Jeez, a son of 2018 UAE Derby romper Mendelssohn, earned his way into the field with a 2 1/4-length allowance victory going seven furlongs at Meydan Feb. 24. Worcester (Empire Maker) is a third World Cup night runner for Baffert and most recently rounded out the trifecta in the Feb. 4 GIII Robert B. Lewis S.

Extravagant Kid (Kiss the Kid) won the 2021 G1 Al Quoz Sprint for Brendan Walsh and the conditioner is represented in this year's running by 'TDN Rising Star' Cazadero (Street Sense).

The last of the North American-based entries is Fipke's Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown), who runs in the G1 Dubai Turf after finishing ninth behind Golden Shaheen entrant Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) in the G1 February S. on the dirt at Tokyo Feb. 19.

 

 

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Several Saudi Cup Stars Arrive In Dubai For World Cup Night

Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who defeated Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup this past Saturday, has arrived in Dubai alongside his erstwhile rival ahead of the Mar. 25 Dubai World Cup meeting.

Now the third-highest earning Japanese-trained horse of all time, the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Panthalassa has been nominated for both the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup, as well as the G1 Dubai Turf. Last year's Dubai World Cup winner for Bob Baffert, Country Grammer was joined on the flight by G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint second Gunite (Gun Runner), who holds an entry in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen from the Steve Asmussen barn. Another Golden Shaheen runner is Remake (Jpn) (Lani), third in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, as well as Justin (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), fourth in the Dirt Sprint on Saturday.

A baker's dozen of Japanese horses made the trip from Saudi, including 2022 G2 Godolphin Mile and 2023 G3 1351 Turf Sprint hero Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}); G1 Dubai Turf placegetter Vin De Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}); G1 Al Quoz Sprint hopeful Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}); Saudi Cup third, fourth and seventh Café Pharoah (American Pharoah), Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong), and Jun Light Bolt (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}); and 2022 G2 UAE Derby winner Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach The Crown {Jpn}).

Fresh from a run in the G1 February S. in Japan, Roger Attfield trainee Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) is aiming for the Dubai Turf and has settled into the International Stables.

“It was gratifying to see our 2022 Dubai World Cup winners do so well in Saudi, with Panthalassa and Bathrat Leon winning and Country Grammer running an honorable second,” said Stephanie Cooley, International Manager for Dubai Racing Club.

“We are delighted that so many top-class horses have travelled on from Saudi and they will now have plenty of settling in time ahead of the big day. The Japanese look likely to have their strongest Dubai World Cup team ever, with several more arriving over the next few weeks.”

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