Tag: Racing

Nearly 150 horses from 17 countries, including 12 from the United States, have been accepted to run at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, which gets underway on Friday, Jan. 6 at Meydan Racecourse.

With millions in prizemoney up for grabs across nine weeks of racing, the Carnival promises some excellent action on the turf and dirt tracks at the United Arab Emirates's flagship racecourse. The action builds up to the Dubai World Cup (g1), which takes place on Saturday, March 25, for which a separate set of nominations will be received.

The cosmopolitan nature of the entries reflects the success of the 2022 Carnival, which welcomed winners from the United Kingdom, France, Uruguay, Bahrain, and the United States.

The 2023 renewal sees 147 horses accepted, including nine individual Group/Grade 1 winners. Countries represented include the UK, Germany, Turkey, Denmark, France, Sweden, Greece, USA, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Argentina, Uruguay, Norway, Chile, and South Korea.

California-based trainer Doug O'Neill enjoyed an excellent Dubai stint in 2022, saddling four winners from just 19 runners. He has nominated a team of 11, including Grade 2 winner and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) third Slow Down Andy, as well as Get Back Goldie, winner of the Oud Metha Stakes at Meydan last season, and three-year-old B Dawk, sixth in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby. Joining O'Neill from the U.S. could be fellow trainer Dallas Stewart, who has nominated Grade 2 winner Long Range Toddy.

South America enjoyed plenty of success at the 2022 Carnival and they are back again, with Group I winners La Validada, Nino Guapo, and El Musical nominated by Argentina-based trainer Juan Saldivia, while Ricardo Colombo brings over the exciting Loreley, winner of the local Group 1 Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos in Uruguay in September.

Australian trainer Will Clarken made an impact at Meydan last season with He's A Balter running fourth in the Blue Point Sprint (G2) and he has nominated the gelding again, along with Beau Rossa and Ironclad.

South Korea, successful at the Carnival in the past with the likes of listed Curlin Stakes winner Dolkong, are set to return to Dubai after a break of a couple of years. Trainer Youn Gu Park has nominated Haengbok Wangia, while Young Kwan Kim has put forward another Kentucky-bred, King Of The Match.

The Carnival, which began back in 2004 at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, often welcomes back returning stars and the Charlie Hills-trained Equilateral is set to visit for a third time, alongside stablemate Khaadem, a Group 2 winner since running at Meydan last season. Hills' fellow British trainer Richard Hannon has put forward group winners Chindit and Happy Romance; the latter having enjoyed Dubai before when she was second in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1).

Commenting on the 2023 Carnival, Stephanie Cooley, International Liaison for Dubai Racing Club, said: “We are delighted with the strength of nominations which we have received from across the world for the Carnival.

“To have nations such as South Korea, who have suffered from Covid restrictions in recent years, returning is gratifying, and it's also superb to welcome back many returning equine stars as well as some new faces from the UK, Ireland and the USA.”

The list of Carnival entries can be accessed at the Dubai Racing Club's press release section here.

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Grade 3 winner Hidden Connection will be considered for Oaklawn's two-turn series of stakes races for older fillies and mares in 2023, Fair Grounds-based trainer Bret Calhoun said Saturday afternoon.

“There's a good chance,” Calhoun said, when asked if Hidden Connection will be seen in Hot Springs.

Hidden Connection powered to a 7 ½-length allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles Friday at Fair Grounds, which marked her second start since finishing 12^th in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) last May at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks is the nation's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies.

After winning the Pocahontas Stakes (G3) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs, Hidden Connection ran fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to close her 2021 campaign. Both races were 1 1/16 miles. She also finished second, beaten a nose by champion Echo Zulu, in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles last March at Fair Grounds.

“Obviously, (Oaklawn) has a good series of races, graded races, later on the meet,” Calhoun said. “Obviously, that's our ultimate goal.”

Oaklawn's signature two-turn race for older fillies and mares is the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 15. The final two major local preps leading up to the Apple Blossom are the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 4 and the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 11. All three races are 1 1/16 miles.

Hidden Connection, by Lane's End resident sire Connect, has a 3-1-1 record from eight lifetime starts and earnings of $456,625.

Calhoun has 10 stalls at Oaklawn.

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Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam will target the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) Dec. 31 at Gulfstream Park as the lone prep for his attempt at a third consecutive victory in the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

Millionaire Colonel Liam was entered in an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up scheduled for 7 ½ furlongs on Gulfstream's new turf course Dec. 15 but was the first of three also-eligibles in an overflow field of 15. The race was later shifted to the all-weather Tapeta course due to rain.

Repole Stable's multiple stakes winner Never Surprised, runner-up to his stablemate in this year's Pegasus Turf, was also scratched as an also-eligible from the race.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said the 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale for 3-year-olds and up scheduled on the grass was always the backup plan for Colonel Liam, unraced since finishing ninth in the Dubai Turf (G1) March 26 at Meydan Racecourse.

“We're going to go in the Fort Lauderdale,” Pletcher said. “As it worked out, we probably wouldn't have run either horse on the synthetic, anyway. We drew the AE and then they took it off, so we'll go to Plan B.”

Colonel Liam defended his 2021 Pegasus Turf victory Jan. 29 at Gulfstream with a popular one-length triumph – his first race in 239 days after finishing eighth in the Manhattan (G1) last June at Belmont Park. The Fort Lauderdale comes 281 days after the Dubai Turf.

“It's fine,” Pletcher said. “Ideally, we wanted a little bit more time between races back to the Pegasus, but it is what it is. He runs well off the layoff so, hopefully, he runs well there and moves forward for the big one.”

The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf is one of seven graded stakes worth $5.2 million in purses Jan. 28 at Gulfstream led by the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G3).

Colonel Liam has had seven timed breezes since early November at Palm Beach Downs for his comeback, the most recent a five-furlong move in 1:01.46 Dec. 16 that was the fastest of six horses. He has four wins and a third in five career races at Gulfstream, including a victory in the 2020 Tropical Park Derby as a prep for his first Pegasus run.

Never Surprised is also being pointed to a return in the Pegasus Turf. Winner of last December's Tropical Park Derby, he held on to finish second after setting the pace in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance on the turf Dec. 17 at Tampa Bay Downs. It was his first race since a fifth-place finish in the March 5 Canadian Turf (G3) at Gulfstream.

“He got a little tired,” Pletcher said. “The ground was a touch soft, but we got the race into him we were hoping. Hopefully, that brings him forward for the Pegasus.”

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