Dubai Decisions Hang on Donn

A $500,000 race in and of itself is generally a decent enough target, but for more than one horse entered in the Feb. 6 Donn Handicap (gr. I), the Gulfstream Park event is simply a means to an end.

The connections of both Keen Ice and Mshawish will use the 1 1/8-mile test as a sounding board for next-race plans with an eye on Dubai. For Keen Ice, the race is his season debut and a guage of his readiness to tackle the March 26 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I). For Mshawish, the Donn serves as a third consecutive dirt run and a decision-maker between the World Cup or the Dubai Turf (UAE-IT). 

Donegal Racing's Keen Ice, who upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah   in the Travers Stakes (gr. I) with Javier Castellano in the irons, will be reunited with that rider for the Donn. Castellano was aboard Mshawish when he proved victorious last out in the Hal's Hope Stakes (gr. III), but will pilot Keen Ice for trainer Dale Romans in this spot.

NOVAK: Keen Ice Springs Travers Upset on 'Pharoah'

After closing out his sophomore season with a fourth in the Clark Handicap (gr. I), which followed a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), the 4-year-old son of Curlin   has been training sharply in a series of six workouts to prepare for his 2016 debut. His last move was five furlongs in 1:00.31 at Gulfstream Jan. 30.

"We freshened him up after the race at Churchill, and he's come back here and has breezed phenomenal," Romans said. "He's gotten better and better. He's as good as he's ever been.

"The setup—there's a lot of it that goes against him. But he's coming into it in such good shape. He's going to run a big race."

Keen Ice will carry the highweight of 121 pounds from post 6, conceding between three and seven pounds to his rivals.

Mshawish is one of three runners entered by Todd Pletcher, who will also saddle Madefromlucky and Itsaknockout. The pursuit of a grade I dirt win will not only help Al Shaqab Racing's 6-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro   headed to Dubai, but could boost his value as a sire when combined with his Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (gr. IT) win from last year.

"It would be a big win for him in terms of a potential stud career in terms that he's already a grade I stakes winner on turf and a graded-stakes winner on dirt," Pletcher said. 

Mshawish made his first dirt start in the Cigar Mile (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 28 after finishing a wide fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland. He showed promise, finishing fourth in the Cigar Mile after contending into deep stretch, and Mshawish was given another main-track opportunity in the Hal's Hope Jan. 9. He broke through with a hard-fought victory by a neck following a heated stretch duel with multiple-graded stakes winner Valid.

NOVAK: Mshawish Gets His Dirt Win in Hal's Hope

"I loved to see him have that win on the dirt," said Pletcher, who has named Hall of Famer John Velazquez to ride Mshawish. "He's a very impressive horse to watch train. He's continued to do that and has shown his versatility."

Mshawish leaves post 3 with Velazquez to ride as part of a 117-pound impost.

Madefromlucky, on the rail under 116 pounds including Joel Rosario, and Itsaknockout, leaving post 7 with Luis Saez as part of a 118-pound assignment, complete Pletcher's hand.

Itsaknockout, who won the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) last year via the disqualification of Upstart, returned from an eight-month layoff with an eye-catching 4 3/4-length triumph in a Gulfstream optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Dec. 31. Madefromlucky, who won twice at Gulfstream last season before going on to capture the Peter Pan (gr. II) at Belmont Park and the West Virginia Derby (gr. II) at Mountaineer Park, finished second, beaten by less than a length by Valid in the Harlan's Holiday at Gulfstream Dec. 12.

Valid, a seasoned graded stakes performer, had also been considered for Saturday's $100,000 Fred Hooper (gr. III) at a mile. Trainer Marcus Vitali opted for the bigger purse and longer distance of the Donn.

"His numbers are better at a mile and an eighth," Vitali said. "The Donn is a good opportunity to win a grade I."

Financial Modeling, who seeks his third straight victory Saturday, is one who looks ready to step up in company. The late-developing Chad Brown trainee is slated to make his graded stakes debut in the Donn after capturing an optional claiming allowance event on turf at Aqueduct Nov. 28 and winning his stakes debut in the Queens County over Aqueduct's inner track Dec.19.

Rounding out the field are Mexikoma, whom trainer Michael Dilger saddled for a victory in the Sunshine Millions Classic last time out, and Closing Bell, a grade I stakes-placed 4-year-old on turf who broke his maiden on dirt.