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Tag: Racing
Dubai World Cup Notes: Jesus’ Team Should Be ‘Aggressive’ Early, Mystic Guide ‘Obviously Thriving’
The following notes detail contenders in Saturday's $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse, and were provided by members of the Dubai Racing Club media team:
Chuwa Wizard – Schooled at the paddock ring before he cantered on the dirt track under his exercise rider Kota Kato.
“He was full of beans this morning,” Kato said. “He breezed on Tuesday and did just hand-walking yesterday, so he was very fresh. He was patient in the starting gate when he got familiarized with it. He will just stretch his legs on dirt tomorrow.”
Great Scot – Had a steady canter on the main track this morning under his usual work rider, Abdullah Aloufi, who is a successful professional jockey in Saudi Arabia.
Aloufi said: “The dirt track is faster here than in Riyadh and it was the horse's first time on it yesterday. We just did a steady canter yesterday and today. He was keen, that's just him but he felt good.”
Jesus' Team – A routine two laps on the dirt track for an energetic Jesus' Team, compelling rider Willo Mercado to pay close attention, with trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo looking on trackside.
“Today he had his head a little high because the horse wants to go. I said to the rider, let him [stride on]. He's OK, controllable. He didn't do a fast time. Tomorrow we are going to do the same two laps, but more slowly. So we can arrive on raceday with good energy,” D'Angelo said.
It has been a rollercoaster ride for the D'Angelo team, but yesterday's favorable draw has helped settle the nerves.
D'Angelo continued: “I slept better last night, for the first time. I like the post position (9) because 'Jesus' can find a good spot to make an aggressive move in the first part.”
A genuine smile reveals the present sentiment in camp Jesus' Team as D'Angelo said: “I asked Bob Baffert and my friend Chad Summers about preparation. They are familiar with the environment here. I took their advice and made my plan. All horses are different, and need different things to get ready. 'Jesus' is coming into this race perfectly.”
Magny Cours – After going a bit quicker on Wednesday on the dirt track at Meydan, the André Fabre-trained Magny Cours returned to the training track on Thursday morning.
“Mr. Fabre is very happy with him,” said Richard Lambert, the travelling head lad who has been all over the world with the French handler's runners. “He came to watch him just do a little canter this morning and everything is fine. The horse is calm and doing well. He will not be going back to the dirt track before Saturday.”
Military Law – Musabbeh Al Mheiri's Military Law had his final blow out on Meydan's dirt track on Thursday. The 6-year-old Dubawi gelding has been assigned stall 5 and Al Mheiri said: “We have a good horse in Military Law. He is honest and works hard and has always shown us that in training. A good draw has improved his chances and we could not have asked for a better spot. We will look for a good break and for Antonio Fresu to get him into a good spot just off the pace so that he can give himself a good chance at the finish.”
Mystic Guide – Godolphin's Mike Stidham-trained Mystic Guide came out to the dirt track on Thursday morning and the son of Ghostzapper continues to impress onlookers, including his conditioner.
“This was a race that was in the back of our minds, but obviously Maxfield was possible for this, too,” Stidham said. “We chatted with (head of Godolphin USA) Jimmy Bell about it and after he ran so well at Oaklawn (winning the Grade 3 Razorback), there was a possibility of this race. When Maxfield was sent to Santa Anita, it left the door open and everything just fell into place. Mystic Guide ran so well and came out great, so it worked out.
“It's an honor and a privilege to be here and especially for a horse for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed on the 25th anniversary,” he continued. “It could not be better and we just can't wait to get on the racetrack. Going a mile and a quarter, I would love to see him break well and be forward and be in a comfortable stalking position, depending on how fast they're going in front of him. Luis Saez certainly handled him well at Oaklawn and got along well with him. I'm happy to have him back.”
Since arriving earlier this week Stidham has had an opportunity to look around and is impressed with Meydan as a facility and the Dubai Racing Club, as a whole.
“It's fabulous and pretty amazing,” he said. “I can't put enough exclamation points around it. The track is fantastic and the event is really well-prepared and Stephanie (Cooley, head of the International Department) has been vital to this. The barn is great and I wish more American track owners would come and see how these places are made. Just beautiful barns that are well-kept and you get lots of help. It's second to none.
“When you think about it, this long walk is the opposite of what we do back home and they're getting a lot more training wise just from the walk back and forth,” he continued. “It's a whole different process. It's good for the horse, as long as the horse is handling it well and ours seems to be thriving on it. He has good energy and his coat and weight look fantastic, so he's obviously thriving on the routine. I'm sure there are horses who come over here who don't do well with this, but fortunately we are doing well.”
Salute The Soldier – Stall 11 was not roundly welcomed by his nonetheless upbeat jockey Adrie de Vries, who said: “The draw could have been kinder but the horse is in great form and his final piece of serious work was very pleasing. When he works well he normally runs well so let's hope that is the case again!”
Sleepy Eyes Todd – An easy morning was in store for the charismatic Sleepy Eyes Todd as he made his way around the Meydan dirt track. Trainer Migel Angel Silva looked on from the rail, content with what he saw.
“He looks very good right now. He hasn't missed a meal since we got here. He's in really good shape,” Silva said.
After a month in the UAE, arriving here the day after the Saudi Cup, the big race is coming up quickly for Sleepy Eyes Todd and Silva.
“I'm not nervous because he's the kind of horse that doesn't make you nervous. He always gives you 100%. With some other horses you don't always know how they are going to run, this guy always gives it all. It gives you confidence,” he continued.
“It's an amazing experience, we are really grateful. With all the invitations, with all the people, with God, the owner, the organization, everybody. We are grateful to be here. “
Thegreatcollection – Owner Zaur Sekrekov is excited at having a big-race outing with his popular campaigner.
“We are just delighted to be in the race and our horse has really seemed to progress this season apart from Super Saturday but there was a tack issue with the bit in that race,” he said.
“Doug Watson and his team seem very happy with the horse and a middle draw looks a good one. We cannot wait for Saturday!”
Title Ready – Charles Fipke's homebred Title Ready came to the dirt track at 7am and had an easy hack around with his trainer Dallas Stewart watching from the viewing area around the 1400m mark of the 1750m dirt track. A son of More Than Ready, Title Ready is a homebred descendent of the brilliant mare Personal Ensign.
On Wednesday, the nearly black charge drew post four.
“The draw is OK,” Stewart said. “I'd maybe rather be a little more outside, but what can you do. We came to race and I'm looking forward to it. He's a horse I think has to step up, but that's why they run the race. I'm glad to be here with [Fipke] and we're excited.”
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Dubai World Cup: Frankie Dettori Partners Saudi Arabian Entry Great Scot
If Frankie Dettori steers Great Scot to victory in the $12m Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline on Saturday, he will not only achieve an individual milestone in equaling Jerry Bailey's win record but will also score a historic first triumph in the race for Saudi Arabia.
A total of 24 Saudi Arabian runners have lined up for the race since its inception in 1996 but the closest to victory was the Jerry Barton trained Sei Mi, who got within four-and-a-quarter lengths of Street Cry in 2002.
Now Great Scot, an impressive third in last month's Saudi Cup, bids to address this deficit with Dettori gunning for a fourth Dubai World Cup win. The 2019 English and German Guineas runner was a Group 3 winner in the UK when under the care of Tom Dascombe.
“He ran a great race in The Saudi Cup last month, it's a good ride to get,” said Dettori, whose three Dubai World Cup victories came courtesy of Dubai Milennium (2000) Moon Ballad (2003) and Electrocutionist (2006). “The surface and trip will suit him and he's done nothing wrong in his prep for this race.”
The horse's owner, HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled, himself a horseman, was hopeful of a good result for Saudi Arabia.
“I'm particularly excited about this horse, he has really taken to the track and conditions in Riyadh and his form here has been so consistent,” he said. “I'm delighted he got to show how good he is against the internationals and the USA dirt horses.
“We are honored to receive the invite to the Dubai World Cup and to represent Saudi Arabia on the world stage and, you never know, perhaps bring home a first win for the country.
“Hopefully there will be many more opportunities for Saudi owners, trainers and jockeys to showcase their talents on the global stage in years to come.”
Trainer Abdullah Mishriff, who travelled to Meydan Racecourse, was upbeat about the gelding's chances: “He is a light horse, easy to get fit, quite straightforward. He is very sensitive and he likes his routine, likes his own groom with him all the time but he's settled in very well here.
“He has a smart mind and if you treat him well, he gives you absolutely 100%. We see this in his work and in his races. He was injured after breaking from the stalls in the Saudi Cup last year when he was struck into by another horse.
“It goes to show how tough he is that he even finished the race to be honest. He went on to win three races in a row after that and showed he is the proper horse that we have always thought him to be.”
Indeed, the son of Requinto has some solid form. He was a Group 3 winner in the UK, winning his maiden first time out and went on to win a novice and a Listed race as a juvenile. His 2-year-old career culminated with a great run in a strong renewal of the Vertem Futurity Trophy (Former Racing Post Trophy), finishing only one-and-a-quarter lengths behind Magna Grecia – who went on to win the English 2000 Guineas – and Phoenix Of Spain, the Irish Guineas winner.
Great Scot continued to keep the best of company into his 3-year-old career, finishing second to the classy Mohaather in the Group 3 Greenham Stakes, a trial for the 2000 Guineas.
Also behind Great Scot in this race was Urban Icon, now under the same ownership and stable of HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled in Riyadh and heading the field in the Godolphin Mile on Saturday.
After decent runs in two European Classics, Great Scot was bought privately by Ted Voute on behalf of Prince Faisal.
“He ticked all the boxes for what we were looking for,” said Voute. “He was a high-class individual and had the profile for Saudi. He could handle cut in the ground, which is always a good sign that the dirt track in Riyadh would suit.”
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Sadler’s Joy Back For More In Pan American
Four years after earning the first graded-stakes victory of his long career in the same race, Woodslane Farm's Grade 1 winner Sadler's Joy returns looking to snap a nine-race losing streak in Saturday's $200,000 Pan American (G2) presented by Rood and Riddle at Gulfstream Park.
The 60th running of the 1 ½-mile Pan American for 4-year-olds and up on turf is part of a blockbuster program that includes 10 stakes, six graded, worth $1.85 million anchored by the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa, one of the country's premier Triple Crown preps.
Post time for the first of 14 races is 11:30 a.m.
Now 8, Sadler's Joy won the Pan American in 2017 and was fourth in 2018, but did not run in either of the past two years as trainer Tom Albertrani has looked to spread out his stable star's races. The Kitten's Joy gelding has started once this year, closing to be fourth by 2 ¼ lengths in the 1 ½-mile W.L. McKnight (G3) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream.
“He's doing as well as ever so hopefully we'll get another good trip out of him and go from there,” Albertrani said. “We just keep him on a regular routine, training-wise. You look at his work tab and you don't see the fancy, fast works or anything; just normal, kind of routine works just to keep him ticking over between races.”
Sadler's Joy is, by far, the richest horse in the Pan American with a bankroll of more than $2.6 million from 35 starts, with seven wins, four seconds and 11 thirds. All but one of his last 29 races have come in graded-stakes, his most recent win coming in the Red Smith (G3) at Aqueduct in the fall of 2019.
Last year, Sadler's Joy went 0-for-8 with four thirds including the Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) and Manhattan (G1) at Belmont Park, and was disqualified from first to fourth for interference in the Bowling Green (G2). He won the Mac Diarmida in 2018, the year after becoming a Grade 1 winner in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga.
“If he wasn't in the barn, it'd be pretty strange. When that day comes, it's going to be a sad day when we don't see him walking down the shedrow anymore,” Albertrani said. “He's just been one of those types of horses that tries every race. He puts everything into every time he runs and its' just a pleasure having a horse like that.
“He puts up a game effort every single time, whether he gets beat a neck or a head in so many of these close races. And it's only because of his running style that prevents him from getting up in time,” he added. “We just need to get everything to work, as always.”
Albertrani also won the Pan American in 2013 with Twilight Eclipse, who set the world record for 1 ½ miles on the grass (2:22.63). Twilight Eclipse raced until the spring of his 8-year-old season, making the last of his 40 career starts for trainer Graham Motion.
“It would be nice to chalk up another win in there. That was just a really great day. I didn't actually know it until I heard the announcer say it was a track record. Then when we found out it was a world record, it was great, and for a horse like him, too,” Albertrani said. “He was another warrior. We've had a few and the ones that stuck around the barn a long time, they're more of a pleasure to have around.”
Jose Ortiz is named to ride from Post 3 in the field of eight.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has won the Pan American six times including twice with the same horse, Fraise (1993, 1994) and Newsdad (2012, 2014), and will send out Summer Wind Equine's stakes-winning homebred Moon Over Miami.
Moon Over Miami, 4, began racing on dirt before making the switch to turf in the one-mile Cutler Bay on last year's Florida Derby program, running eighth. Fourth by two lengths in the Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga, he captured the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Derby prior to a disappointing effort in the 1 ¼-mile Belmont Derby (G1) to cap his sophomore season.
In his lone start this year, Moon Over Miami overcame traffic trouble to be third by 1 ¼ lengths in the Feb. 27 Mac Diarmida. Junior Alvarado rides from Post 7 at co-topweight of 122 pounds.
“We stretched him out at Kentucky Downs last fall in their derby and he won that. That was a little longer race. He doesn't seem to run the turns real well, so it seems like the slower pace of the longer races helps him get around the turns a little better,” Mott said.
“His last race was a mile and three-eighths and he was finishing up very well when he finally got out, which was a little late in the game. He came running and got up for third and deserves a chance in the Pan American,” he added. “I think he's going to turn into a useful horse going that trip.”
Bemma's Boy sprung a 9-1 upset of Grade 1-winning stablemate Zulu Alpha in last year's Pan American, and trainer Mike Maker will have another pair of contenders this year in Cross Border and Temple.
“That's why you need two or three of them,” Maker said. “Zulu didn't have the greatest trip last time and we were fortunate to have Bemma's Boy pick up the pieces.”
Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border exits a strong third behind Colonel Liam and Largent in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream, a race Zulu Alpha won in 2020. Colonel Liam came back to win the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) March 20.
“He ran another big race last time and was flattered the other day by Colonel Liam,” Maker said. “We expect another strong effort from him.”
Cross Border was beaten a neck by Spooky Channel in the W.L. McKnight last winter, and became a graded-stakes winner upon the disqualification of Sadler's Joy in last summer's Bowling Green. Tyler Gaffalione gets the riding assignment from Post 1.
“He's run well here, but he shows up everywhere,” Maker said. “He's a horse that never disappoints and loves his job.”
Paradise Farm Corp.'s Temple will be making his fourth start of the Championship Meet following seconds in the Claiming Crown Emerald and McKnight and a fourth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths, in the Mac Diarmida. The 5-year-old gelding has been worse than third just once in 11 career tries over the Gulfstream course, four of them wins, the most recent in an optional claiming allowance last April.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call from Post 2.
Completing the field are 2020 Mystic Lake Derby runner-up Angelus Warrior; Feb. 11 Gulfstream allowance winner Churn N Burn; Grade 3-placed Rijeka, with two wins and two seconds in five tries at the distance; and Sir Sahib, placed in four graded-stakes including the 2020 Northern Dancer (G1) and most recently fifth in the Mac Diarmida.
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