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Knicks Go, Charlatan Top 176 Nominations To Dubai World Cup

Thoroughbred racing's top stars have been nominated for the highly anticipated 25th running of the Dubai World Cup, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 27, 2021 at Meydan Racecourse. Among the global stars highlighting the nominations are Knicks Go, Charlatan, Bivouac, Chrono Genesis, Addeybb and Mogul. A total of 1,511 nominations were accepted from 762 horses trained in 19 countries.

The Group 1 $12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline saw a total of 176 nominations led by a strong USA representation including G1 Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go, and Bob Baffert-trained G1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes-winner Charlatan. Other major contenders include multiple G1 winner Code Of Honor, Godolphin's undefeated Brendan Walsh trainee Maxfield, G2 winners Sleepy Eyes Todd, and Tax, with the latter trained by Danny Gargan, one of the new trainers to have nominated this year. Tacitus who finished fourth in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic returns, after having nominated last year as well.

John Gosden's Dubai Warrior who is expected to make a Dubai debut in the Al Maktoum Challenge Rd 2 also joins the list. Musabbeh Al Mheiri's Military Law is expected to shine among the UAE contenders, as are Capezzano, Matterhorn and Kimbear. Contested over 2000m (1 1/4 miles) on dirt, it has been won by horses trained in France, Japan, UAE, UK, and USA in its first 24 runnings.

The Group 1 $5 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic promises to be a star-studded affair, with Addeybb, ranked 3rd Best Racehorse in the Longines World Racing Awards, topping the nominations. With an impressive rating of impressive 125, the 7-year-old is trained by William Haggas, and it is no surprise, he is the highest rated horse amongst those nominated for this race. The Japanese representation is led by multiple G1-winning mare Chrono Genesis, who most recently won the G1 Arima Kinen at the end of 2020. The returning G1 and multiple G2 winner Glory Vase adds greater depth. Other G1 winners in competition include Bill Mott's Channel Maker, David Smaga's Nao Da Mais, and Aidan O'Brien's Mogul. Trainers Saeed bin Suroor, John Gosden and Charlie Appleby are the most successful saddlers in this race, with two wins apiece, while Great Britain has had the most success with seven wins so far.

The Group 1 $4 million Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World has an impressive line-up of nominations with contestants looking to fill the rather large shoes of 2019 winner and the now retired Japanese Superstar Almond Eye. Some of the heavy hitters include John Gosden's Lord North, winner of the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes, Bahrain International Trophy winner Simsir from the stables of Fawzi Nass, G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Champion Colonel Liam and G2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes winner Largent, both under the care of USA trainer Todd Pletcher. European representation comes through G1 Queen Anne Stakes winner & G2 Singspiel Stakes victor Lord Glitters, trained by David O'Meara. John Gosden also saddles Global Giant who finished second in the Bahrain International Trophy.

American winners account for 13 of 24 editions of the G1 $1.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News. This year a robust offering comes from the USA, including Peter Miller's G1 winner and Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up C Z Rocket, Steve Asmussen's G2 winner Yaupon, Doug O'Neill's multiple G3 winner Wildman Jack, and Bob Baffert's Ax Man. 2019 Dubai Golden Shaheen runner-up Matera Sky from the stables of Hideyuki Mori, and Yoshito Yahagi's Justin highlight the Japanese contingent. Local favorite Gladiator King adds value to the line-up.

The Group 1 $1 million Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developments over 1200m (six furlongs) on turf has attracted nominations from across the globe. By far the best accomplished entrant is Australian star sprinter and multiple G1 winner Bivouac, trained by James Cummings for Godolphin, most recent winner of the G1 VRC Sprint Classic at Flemington in November. Other G1 winners in the field include Oleksandra who made her debut in Australia, before moving to the stables of American trainer Neil Drysdale, UK conditioner Roger Teal's Oxted who won the G1, Darley July Cup Stakes, and South African trainer Corne Spies' trainee Van Halen. Amongst the UAE brigade, G3 winners Down On Da Bayou and Lazuli, are just some of the local luminaries nominated.

The three Group 2 events on the day, the $750,000 UAE Derby sponsored by Emirates NBD, $750,000 Godolphin Mile and $750,000 Dubai Gold Cup sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, have attracted strong global interest.

The UAE Derby, contested over 1900m draws in plenty of interest form the USA, with Steve Asmussen's Jackie's Warrior winner of the G1 Runhappy Hopeful Stakes & G1 Champagne Stakes, leading the charge. Other notable entries include Doug O'Neill-trained Hot Rod Charlie- 2nd in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and Bob Baffert's well regarded G2 winner and G1-placed, Spielberg and Medina Spirit. UAE in-form company include Zhou Storm, winner in two of three starts, Mnasek, and Soft Whisper. The UAE remains the most successful country in this race, with Saeed bin Suroor garnering all eight wins, his most recent with two-time Dubai World Cup-winner Thunder Snow in 2017.

Nominations for the 1600m Group 2 $750,000 Godolphin Mile, are highlighted by Hong Kong star Elusive State, multiple G2 winning Mr Freeze, the G2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland in October his most recent victory, under the watch of American conditioner Dale Romans. Fawzi Nass' Port Lions, who finished fourth in the Bahrain International Trophy and is another international winner to watch out for. With 16 wins the UAE remains the dominating force in this race. Frankie Dettori's seven wins is a record in the Mile.

The Dubai Gold Cup contested over a challenging 3200m on turf, and won in 2019 by 2018 Melbourne Cup Champion Cross Counter, sees nominations from multiple Melbourne Cup-placed Prince of Arran, the returning Jamie Osborne-trainee Mekong, French G1 winner Call the Wind, most recently 3rd in the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadron at Longchamp, Mark Johnston's G1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp-winner Subjectivist and Andrew Balding's G2 winner-Spanish Mission, whose most recent victory came in the G2 Doncaster Cup Stakes.

The first supplementary stage for all races on Dubai World Cup day will close on Wednesday, February 10, when connections can nominate their horse for 0.1% of the prize money of their chosen race. The second supplementary stage is on Monday, March 8, when horses can be supplemented for 1% of the prize money. The third and final supplementary stage takes place on Sunday, March 21, when horses can be supplemented into the race for 10% of the prize money. Entry/declaration takes place Monday, March 22.

For further details regarding nominations, Dubai Racing Club's International Racing Liaison Officer Stephanie Cooley can be contacted at: Stephanie.cooley@dubairacingclub.com

All races are being contested and regulated in a standard fashion and results are being recorded in an official capacity. In line with the UAE Government regulations, Dubai Racing Club is following strict health and safety measures, including full sanitization, thermal screening of attendees and social distancing.

VIEW DUBAI WORLD CUP 2021 NOMINATIONS HERE

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Cobb Gives Thumbs Up To Ascension Of Sleepy Eyes Todd Into Major Races

A racing fan since his youth and after seven years as a Thoroughbred owner, David Cobb has a firm grasp of the significance of having Sleepy Eyes Todd in the field for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Sleepy Eyes Todd is a quintessential blue-collar hero. He was purchased for $9,000 as a weanling in 2016, has won eight of 15 races with trainer Miguel Silva and earned $744,825. The two-time graded stakes winner has competed at 11 tracks in nine states for Cobb's fledgling Thumbs Up Racing operation. Though success has made his post-time odds much lower these days, he won his debut at Remington Park in Oklahoma in 2018 at 29-1 and was second in the 2019 Oklahoma Derby (G3) at 40-1.

“He's never had the respect, but I'll tell you something: We relish being the underdogs,” Cobb said. “We've been there the whole time. Miguel has been an underdog his whole life. I'm a small guy with all the big guys. I've got to tell you that it's very rewarding to finally be recognized and to be invited to such a prestigious event as the Pegasus.”

A half-length victory in the Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream on Dec. 19 was the final stepping stone to the grand stage.

The Cobbs live in Pleasanton, Calif., and are building a home in Crescent, Texas, near Houston so they can be closer to the home base of their racing and breeding business. Cobb, 59, said he made his first visit to a racetrack, the now-closed Bay Meadows in his hometown of San Mateo, Calif., as a 4-year-old with his great-grandmother, grandparents and mother.

“Back then, in the mid-'60s, there were crowds of 10,000 people,” he said. “I was a little kid and had never seen anything like it, except at Disneyland. Pretty neat stuff.”

A few years later, Cobb's uncle began teaching him about handicapping and took him with along to Bay Meadows. The hook had been set.

“By the time I was nine or 10 years old, I could read a Racing Form as well as anybody could,” Cobb said. “I'm kind of a numbers guy and it was always fascinating to me.”

Cobb is now retired from a career in which he was a truck driver, business owner and real estate investor.

Cobb stepped into horse racing ownership in 2014 in some small partnerships and in 2015 claimed the Cal-bred Spot Special for $12,500. He ran in his own name for five seasons, but renamed his growing operation Thumbs Up Racing last year. With Sleepy Eyes Todd leading the way, Cobb had his best year in racing with 13 wins and $688,215 in earnings.

In November 2016, with trainer Jonathan Wong as his advisor and agent and some friends with a lot of experience with horses, Cobb purchased a total of six moderately priced horses at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

That Cobb sextet included the young son of Paddy O'Prado, who Cobb later named Sleepy Eyes Todd. A bargain-basement purchase, he has become the first graded stakes winner for Silva and Cobb and could become their first millionaire.

“I study breeding, but there are things I cannot do, that real horsemen can see,” Cobb said. “It was a team effort.”

Two years later, Sleepy Eyes Todd was ready for his racing debut in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight race at Remington Park. Cobb said he will never forget that experience.

“Miguel is telling me, 'Hey, you really have something here,'” Cobb said. “We were standing out there watching the race around the finish line. The horses break from the gate and at the four-furlong mark he's probably nine and a half lengths behind. I go, 'Miguel, are you serious?' He goes, 'Relax.' I don't relax that easily and said 'OK.' Sure as could be, he blew by everybody and won the race by a half-length. He could have won by five if they went another six strides. Just an amazing horse.”

After a brief try to see if he might be good enough to compete on the Triple Crown trail, Cobb and Silva settled on a more conventional path with their young colt. He missed some time with an injury, returned to win two races at Canterbury Park in Minnesota during the summer then ran second to Owendale in the Oklahoma Derby (G3).

After another stakes win at Remington Park, his connections thought he ought to be considered for the 2020 Pegasus World Cup. He didn't have the credentials to warrant an invite and headed off to a campaign of eight races at eight tracks with eight different jockeys. The first victory of the season came at, Fonner Park in Nebraska, a track that rarely hosts Grade 1-caliber horses, in the Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes. Wins at the Charles Town Classic (G2) in August, the Lafayette at Keeneland in November and the Mr. Prospector earned him a berth in the Pegasus.

“Thank God, this horse is a freak,” Cobb said. “He ships so well and can adapt to where ever he goes. He likes to be there a few weeks ahead of time and get a couple of works under his belt. He never gets sick, nothing, knock on wood.

Cobb said that his stable has grown to the point where he has about 20 horses in training at a time. He also has a group of broodmares and moved into breeding. Sleepy Eyes Todd is the star of the show and has taken the Cobbs and Silva for a ride into racing's major league.

“It's overwhelming to us, yes. It could be life-changing, too,” Cobb said. “We have been invited to the Saudi Cup, so between these two we're kind of in la-la land right now.

“I'm a pretty humble, modest guy so I keep it in perspective. These next two months could really change things for us. It won't change how we live, but it's exciting nonetheless.”

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Equibase Analysis: Knicks Go Likely To Play ‘Come Catch Me’ In Pegasus World Cup

The Grade 1, $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes is the biggest jewel on the crown of fantastic stakes races at Gulfstream Park this weekend in Hallandale Beach, Fla., bringing together a stellar field of 12. Leading the field in recent accomplishments is Knicks Go, last seen winning the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in the eye-opening time of 1:33.85.

Knicks Go has a running style in which he goes to the front and dares anyone to take him on in the early stages, so we know where he will be as soon as the gate opens in the Pegasus.

Code of Honor is an accomplished runner best known for winning the G1 Travers Stakes as a 3-year-old in 2019. Entering the race off a runner-up finish in the G1 Clark Stakes at the end of November, Code of Honor must be respected. Math Wizard earned his biggest win at the distance when taking the G1 Pennsylvania Derby as a 3-year-old in 2019 but is winless in seven races since.

Then there are a number of horses not yet proven capable of winning at the G1 level but who are in exceptional form. Sleepy Eyes Todd is one of those, having won the G2 Charles Town Classic at the distance in August of last year and most recently victorious over the track in the G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes.

Similarly, Last Judgment won the Sunshine Classic Stakes just one week ago at the distance and at Gulfstream Park. Harpers First Ride has won four of his last five including the G3 Pimlico Special in October and the Native Dancer Stakes at the end of 2020.

Mr Freeze finished second in the 2019 Pegasus and last fall won the G2 Fayette Stakes at the distance. Another strong contender is Jesus' Team, who closed from seventh to second behind Knicks Go in the Dirt Mile and who recently won the Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Tax enters the Pegasus World Cup off a win in the G3 Harlan's Holiday Stakes over the track last month. Similar to Code of Honor and Math Wizard he was a top 3-year-old in 2019, including a win in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes. Kiss Today Goodbye earned the biggest win of his career last month in the G2 San Antonio Stakes and is yet another potentially on the brink of breaking through to this top level.

Independence Hall was a strong 2-year-old in the fall of 2019 and as a 3-year-old in the winter of 2020, winning the Jerome Stakes and finishing second in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes before taking time off. He most recently finished fifth in the G1 Malibu Stakes. Coastal Defense rounds out the field, coming into the race off a pair of non-threatening fourth place finishes in stakes.

Win contenders:
Knicks Go changed trainers to start his 2020 campaign, moving to the barn of Brad Cox, and went three-for-three last year, culminating with a career best 120 Equibase Speed Figure when winning the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in wire-to-wire fashion. He had lost 10 races in a row before the first of his 2020 wins, but the turnaround was not out of the clouds as Knicks Go had been a top 2-year-old in 2018, winning the G1 Breeders' Futurity with the same running style as all three wins last year. Improving from a 104 figure effort in February of last year, to 116 then to the 120 in the Breeders' Cup, and coming back off a 2 1/2-month rest it is highly likely Knicks Go will be fresh and able to easily establish the early lead he likes.

Horses which try to take on a front runner of his nature will likely find their chances compromised, and that makes Knicks Go the one to beat in this year's Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Furthermore, he's been working out steadily (every six to seven days) for his comeback and although he has never run the mile and one-eighth distance of the Pegasus, Knicks Go has the breeding to succeed at the trip as a son of Paynter, who finished second in the 2012 Belmont Stakes at the distance of 1 1/2 miles.

Last Judgment, Harpers First Ride and Sleepy Eyes Todd all must be considered contenders to win the Pegasus World Cup, although they have less probability to win than Knicks Go based on the likely pace scenario in this race in which Knicks Go controls the tempo from the start. Nevertheless, with all three likely to go to post at high odds, I would not hesitate to bet them.

I'll start with Last Judgment, who has won six of 14 races including his only try at the distance of this race. That win came in his most recent start just seven days ago when dominating in the Sunshine Classic Stakes by six lengths. That effort tied his career best 107 figure and he has won while racing on the lead or from off the pace so he could be finishing very well in this race.

Harpers First Ride is another horse who knows where the finish line is, having won 10 of 17 career starts. First or second in his last six races, including the Pimlico Special last fall at the distance of 1 3/16 miles, Harpers First Ride earned a career best 109 figure in winning the Native Dancer Stakes in his most recent race.

Sleepy Eyes Todd earned the biggest win of his career in the Charles Town Classic Stakes last August at the distance of the Pegasus. He ran poorly when shipped to California for the Awesome Again Stakes the next month but has won both starts since then, including the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream. The 119 figure earned in the Charles Town Classic was a career best and the highest figure of any horse other than Knicks Go (120 in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile) has ever earned, so if he can repeat that effort Sleepy Eyes Todd could give Knicks Go a run for the winner's share of this $3 million purse.

The rest of the field, all who have the ability to compete effectively in this race, with their best Equibase Speed Figures, is Coastal Defense (108), Code of Honor (109), Jesus' Team (114), Kiss Today Goodbye (105), Independence Hall (108), Kiss Today Goodbye (107), Mr Freeze (106) and Math Wizard (107).

Win Contenders, in preference order:
Knicks Go
Last Judgment
Harpers First Ride
Sleepy Eyes Todd

Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes – Grade 1
Race 12 at Gulfstream Park
Saturday, January 23 – Post Time 5:44 PM E.T.
1 1/8 Miles
Four Years Olds and Upward
Purse: $3 Million

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For Sleepy Eyes Todd, Invitation To 2021 Pegasus World Cup Better Late Than Never

Some 12 months after trainer Miguel Angel Silva first thought Sleepy Eyes Todd ought to be considered for the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), he is preparing his star for the fifth running of the race on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

It is something of a better-late-than-never scenario for Silva and the 5-year-old son of Paddy O'Prado owned by David Cobb's Thumbs Up Stable.

By late 2019, Silva, 45, was confident that Sleepy Eyes Todd was a graded-stakes caliber horse. He had come back from a five-month layoff recovering from an injury to win three of four starts. The lone loss was a second to Owendale in the Oklahoma Derby (G3). One of the horses that Sleepy Eyes Todd finished ahead of in the Oklahoma Derby was Mucho Gusto, who went on to win the 2020 Pegasus. Silva said he called to see if Sleepy Eyes Todd might be invited to the 1 1/8-mile race.

“We were trying to get in but it was too late, I guess, and, we didn't have the earnings to get into the race,” Silva said. “Finally, this year, it's a dream come true.”

Sleepy Eyes Todd added to his resume in 2020, winning four stakes at different tracks and earning $540,760. The most recent of his wins was a half-length victory over Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector on Dec. 19 at Gulfstream Park. All eight of his 2020 starts were at different tracks.

In his first trip to a Thoroughbred auction, the November 2016 Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale, Cobb, a resident of Pleasanton, Calif., spent $9,000 on the weanling out of a Wild Rush mare who grew up to be Sleepy Eyes Todd. The colt made his debut at Remington Park in Oklahoma later in his 2-year-old year in 2018 and came from well off the pace win by a half-length at 29-1. He has won eight of his 15 career starts at 11 tracks and earned $744,825.

“The horse has been great,” Silva said. “He's a sound horse. He's beautiful. He is easy to manage. He lets you have fun. At the end of the day we are in this business to have fun. This kind of horse gives you all that.”

Silva grew up in Mexico, where his father, also named Miguel Silva, was a famous trainer. After graduating from college with a degree in accounting, Silva entered the corporate world. It didn't take him long to realize he wanted to return to horses and racing.

“I worked in some big companies in Mexico until I couldn't take it anymore,” he said. “I'm just not a desk person.”

Twenty years ago, Silva emigrated to the U.S. and started working as a hot walker at the Bay Meadows racetrack in San Mateo, Calif.

“I was there for a few years then moved to Arizona and worked there as a groom. I started climbing the ladder. I worked for the (farrier), the tattooer. Helped the vet. Everybody. I was trying to do it all until I was able to get my license.”

Trainer Miguel Angel Silva

Silva launched his career early in 2009 with a one-horse stable. He acquired that first runner, Glitternmeporridge, by using his tax return to claim the gelding for $6,250.

“We won several races with the horse,” Silva said. “From there it has been an amazing ride.”

Now operating on a circuit that takes him from Texas to Oklahoma, Arkansas, Minnesota and Louisiana, Silva entered 2021 with 722 wins from 4,209 starters. Thanks to Sleepy Eyes Todd, he had his best earnings year in 2020. Sleepy Eyes Todd gave him his first graded stakes wins, the Charles Town Classic (G2) and the Mr. Prospector. Silva has 43 horses in training at three tracks.

Instead of the Pegasus, Sleepy Eyes Todd opened his 2020 campaign in the John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes (G3) at Sam Houston. He ended up last in the field of 10.

“The turf race was a mistake on my part,” Silva said. “We ran him a mile and a half on the turf and the turf was really soft. For a first timer on the turf and a first timer going a mile and a half, I think that was on me.”

After Sleepy Eyes Todd finished sixth in the Mineshaft at Fair Grounds on Feb. 15, Silva decided to remove the blinkers. Since that equipment change, the horse has four wins, a second by a head in the Lone Star Millions and a tiring fifth in the Awesome Again (G1). Silva said the blinkers made sense for a while, but that after the two losses it was time for a change.

“He is too aware of what's happening. He wants to see everything,” Silva said. “In the morning when we train him he can go to the track and stand for 20 minutes and just watch horses go by him and not move one inch. He just watches everything and wants to be aware. It's something I took from him and he was asking me to give it back. I did.

“I always say that we lost that Oklahoma Derby because he never saw Owendale coming from far outside. When Mucho Gusto tried to put pressure on him and passed him, as soon he was able to see him, he came back and beat Mucho Gusto. He was asking for it and I was a little stubborn.”

Sleepy Eyes Todd has had a different jockey in each of his last nine races and that list will grow again when Jose Ortiz rides him in the Pegasus. While Silva said it is positive that the well-traveled horse has handled many tracks under an ever-changing lineup of jockeys, he said the downside is the lack of continuity can be a negative. Since his past performances show that he has speed, jockeys may try to put him in the race early. Silva said that approach hurt him in the Awesome Again.

“We believe that we don't have the speed to beat those kinds of horses in the race, so we wanted to be in behind,” he said. “We were too close in that race.

Silva said the horse has matured and his versatility makes him effective coming from off the pace, the style he used in his last two races, both at seven furlongs. In the Lafayette on Nov. 7 at Keeneland he rallied from far back over a very fast track.

“Then we go to Florida in the same kind of race and tried not to be in the lead because they burn out,” Silva said. “Save the horse and finish strong. That's what we like.”

With a win over the track in the Mr. Prospector and more experience, Silva said Sleepy Eyes Todd is ready for the Pegasus distance and another try in a prestigious Grade I race.

“I love the mile and an eighth,” Silva said. “He already won at that distance and he performed really good at that distance. We're just hoping that we have a different kind of trip. We don't want to be on the lead and hopefully we can pick up horses at the end.”

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