Sir Winston to Make Next Start in Dubai World Cup

It's next stop Dubai for winner Sir Winston.

Trainer Mark Casse said the 2019 Belmont Stakes (G1) victor came out of a win in a Jan. 31 allowance optional claiming race at Aqueduct Racetrack "super" and that he will not race again until the $12 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) March 28 at Meydan Racecourse.

"We've been invited to the Dubai World Cup and we accepted," Casse said Feb. 4. "He came out of the (Aqueduct) race super and we're going to go straight to Dubai with him."

Sir Winston, an Awesome Again homebred owned by Tracy Farmer, was sidelined for a little more than 6 1/2 months after winning the June 8 Belmont Stakes by a left front ankle injury. He returned in the Dec. 28 Woodchopper Stakes on turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, but finished last in a field of 12. The Jan. 25 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct was targeted for his return to dirt, but Casse scratched him due to a wet track.

Instead, Sir Winston was entered in the $80,000 allowance race and rallied from last in a field of seven to post a 2 1/4-length victory in 1:39.15 for the one-turn mile.

Off that effort, Casse scrapped plans to run in the 1 5/16-mile Bernardini Stakes at Aqueduct Feb. 29 and instead will train up to the 1 1/4-mile Dubai World Cup.

"It would be too much," Casse said about a race before the Dubai World Cup. "When I talked about the (Feb. 29) Bernardini (Stakes) I didn't think he'd run as big of a race as he did. I thought he'd come running at the end and then we would test him (in his next race). But his race to me was very impressive and he impressed me enough that's he's ready to go."

Casse said he was uncertain of how Sir Winston would fare against a solid group of allowance foes, but never doubted his 4-year-old colt's abilities.

"I wasn't sure of what to expect," Casse said. "I thought maybe the race would be too short, but he's a good horse."

Bred by Farmer out of the Afleet Alex  mare La Gran Bailadora, Sir Winston has won four of 12 starts with one second and one third and earnings of $1,005,773.