This feature provides a capsule look at three horses who are heating up on the Triple Crown trail and three horses whose chances for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve are not quite as strong as they were a few weeks ago.
Tag: Racing
Lord Glitters Returns Friday At Meydan To Attempt Back-To-Back Singspiel Victories
There are plenty of Dubai World Cup pointers at Meydan Racecourse on Friday, when the track stages four Group races. The official feature is the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes over nine furlongs on turf, which sees popular grey Lord Glitters try to become the first horse to win back to back renewals.
“We're happy with his training and we thought he ran well enough the other night in his first run at Meydan this season,” said UK-based trainer David O'Meara. “He had a little break after Bahrain [G3 International Trophy, Nov. 19] and might have needed his first run back.”
It won't be easy for O'Meara's star as Charlie Appleby saddles Zakouski, who boasts an impressive track record, having won three of his four starts here. His only local defeat came at the hands of Lord Glitters in last year's Singspiel.
“He didn't see out the 1 1/4-mile trip when ninth in the Bahrain International Trophy last time,” said the UK Champion Trainer. “We think he'll be better down in trip in the Singspiel as he ran really well in the race last year.”
The strong field also includes Sir Busker, who makes his UAE debut for trainer William Knight, who experienced Carnival success back in 2007 when Illustrious Blue won at Nad Al Sheba. Third in the G1 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in June, the 6-year-old represents Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds and will use this race as a prep for the G1 Emirates Airline Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday.
“We're excited to see Sir Busker line up in Friday's Singspiel Stakes,” said Sam Hoskins, Syndicate Manager for Kennet Valley.
“He travelled over well last weekend and has settled in nicely to life at Meydan. He has been working nicely at home in Newmarket and while he will improve a bit for the run (Super Saturday being the main aim), hopefully he will run a nice race here.”
There are two Group 3s on the card, including the UAE 2000 Guineas, which sees a rematch between the first three home in the Guineas Trial; Rawy, Quality Boone and Kiefer.
Rawy is owned by RRR Racing and trained by Salem Bin Ghadayer, who said: “He ran well in the Guineas Trial and came back from the race well; very sound.
“It's pretty much a similar field in the Guineas and the two extra furlongs will not be an issue for the horse. He's in good form and has handled his preparation very well. I believe that he is going to run a big race on Friday.”
The other Group 3 is the Al Shindagha Sprint over six furlongs, in which Doug Watson's Al Tariq will defend his title. He has a kilo penalty for his G3 Dubawi Stakes win last time out, in which Freedom Fighter and Canvassed were behind him.
Canvassed, winner of the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal over course and distance last March, will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni, who said: “he was a bit rusty last time and just got very tired. Doug Watson and the team have done a great job with him and Sam Hitchcott breezed him the other day and he did a nice piece of work, so hopefully he will have come on for that run.”
The Listed Curlin Stakes [Presented by Race of Ambition], run over the same 2000metres as the G1 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup, will see Group 1 winner Salute The Soldier make his second start of the year. Trained by Fawzi Nass, the 7-year-old won G1 Maktoum Challenge R3 last season and was fifth in Round 1 last month.
“He's in good shape. He's had his first run now, over a mile, because we thought he would be gassy and fresh and needing the run,” said the Bahraini handler. “Hopefully that race has brought him on and he's ready to rock and roll this week in the Curlin Stakes.”
The formidable line-up includes Dubai Icon, an 8 1/2-length winner last time out when the re-opposing G2 UAE Derby winner Rebel's Romance was among his victims.
The card also stages a new race, the Listed Business Bay Challenge over seven furlongs on turf. It sees the return of three-time course winner D'Bai, who won the Group 2 Zabeel Mile here last season.
The evening's action gets underway with the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah, for Purebred Arabians, in which RB Money To Burn defends her title, but faces stiff opposition from Namrood, a near nine-length winner here 11 days ago.
Asmussen Believes Midnight Bourbon Will ‘Put It All Together’ In Saudi Cup
American stars Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon will renew their rivalry in the $20 million Saudi Cup.
The pair clashed in last month's Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds when Mandaloun came out on top by three-quarters of a length.
Now they will go head-to-head again in the world's most valuable race, run over nine furlongs on the dirt track at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 26.
The Louisiana Stakes was Mandaloun's first run since he was awarded the G1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in July when Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified for impeding Midnight Bourbon after passing the winning post a nose in front.
A setback prematurely ended the Kentucky Derby runner-up's 3-year-old season, and his trainer Brad Cox believes he is still improving ahead of his trip to Saudi for the world's most valuable fixture.
He said: “Mandaloun ran a really big race at Fair Grounds in the Louisiana Stakes. It was his first run in a while and he appears to have come out of it in great order – he had a good workout on Sunday morning.
“He seems to have moved forward from three to four. If he moves forward again, he's going to be tough in The Saudi Cup.
“I always thought he was a Grade 1 horse, so it was important for us and for Juddmonte to try to win a Grade 1 with him and add him to the stallion roster.
“Obviously, he was awarded the Grade 1 in the Haskell Stakes. Out of the Haskell he just wasn't quite right behind and we just gave him the time he needed.
“He's come back bigger and stronger. Florent (Geroux) rode him and he said as soon as he came back that he was a more polished horse mentally. That gives us a lot of confidence moving forward.
“I think the track will be fine. He's a horse who's capable of being where we need him to be in a race. He's able to adjust to the pace – if it's slow he can be up close, if it's fast he can sit off it.
“A one-turn mile-and-an-eighth (1800m) is not something we get much in America, Belmont is the only place, but I'm confident he'll be able to handle it.
“The Saudi Cup has not been around long but it's definitely grabbed the attention of the entire world. It's becoming a race on everyone's calendar and if we were capable of winning it for Juddmonte it would obviously mean a tremendous amount.”
Despite finishing behind Mandaloun in the Louisiana Stakes and last year's Kentucky Derby, when he endured a troubled passage, Midnight Bourbon's trainer Steve Asmussen has high hopes his stable star will finally claim his big-race victory.
The colt hasn't enjoyed much luck during his career. He unseated Paco Lopez when hampered as he made his challenge in the Haskell Stakes and his trainer believes the ability is there to be a champion.
Asmussen said: “He has an elite level of talent without finishing it off at this stage. He's not had the success his ability would allow but it also leaves a lot for us moving forward.
“He is still in a physical and mental development that I think allows for him to possibly end up being the best horse in training in the world this year.
“The only time he's missed the break in his life was in the Kentucky Derby which was won by a horse (Medina Spirit) he breaks next to in the Preakness and runs into the ground.
“It's one thing after another but it's there, it just needs to come together. I'm hoping beyond hope and expecting that he's waiting for The Saudi Cup stage to put it all together perfectly.”
Jockey Joel Rosario rode Midnight Bourbon in the Louisiana Stakes and he will keep the ride in the Group 1 Saudi Cup. He will need to reverse that form with Mandaloun but Asmussen believes last month's race will put the edge on his big race hope.
He said: “That was his prep for The Saudi Cup, not The Saudi Cup. He came out of it in better shape than he went into it. It was a very good exercise.
“I know from the preparation going into his last race, how he's come out of it and how he's worked since, that we are jumping forward.
“His numbers are very competitive with any horse in the world – the numbers being the speed he has attained. We just have to finish it off.
“He is considerably more mature in his approach to training than he has been in the past. He had a beautiful work on Sunday at Fair Grounds. He came out of it in great shape and he went back to the track very well on Tuesday morning.
“I will look for something a touch better, not significantly better, this coming Sunday. Then he will van from New Orleans to Palm Meadows and fly out from there.”
The American pair will attempt to wrestle The Saudi Cup crown from last year's winner Mishriff. He was reported to be in good shape ahead of the world's most valuable race by joint-trainer Thady Gosden on Tuesday.
Byron King’s Derby Dozen for Feb. 9
BloodHorse news editor Byron King presents his latest Derby Dozen for 2022, with a look at his leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 7.
