U.S. Contingent Gearing Up for World Cup
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Photo: Mathea Kelley/Dubai Racing Club
California Chrome
Several U.S.-based contenders have recently drilled at Meydan for the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), including last year's runner-up, 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome .
The son of Lucky Pulpit , owned by Perry and Denise Martin and Taylor Made Farm, worked out on main track at Meydan March 19, covering five furlongs in :59 2/5.
"He came out of the work great," assistant trainer Alan Sherman said of California Chrome, who walked the shedrow Sunday and trotted for 15 minutes Monday on the Quarantine Centre training track under exercise rider Dihigy Gladny. "He is very happy this morning."
Commenting on the 5-year-old's development since winning the 2014 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I), Sherman said, "He's gotten bigger and stronger. He looks fantastic."
Godolphin's Frosted jogged a leisurely 1 1/2 miles at Marmoom on Monday morning.
"He breezed (five furlongs) in 1:01 on Wednesday and now it's just a matter of keeping him fresh and happy," said Kiaran McLaughlin's assistant trainer and brother, Neal McLaughlin.
An impressive winner of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (UAE-II) Feb. 4, the son of Tapit will enter the Dubai World Cup as a fresh horse.
"Our original plan was to run him in the third leg (of the Al Maktoum Challenge March 5), but we love how he ran here off the long layoff," McLaughlin explained. "It was the first time he had really run off an extended break and he set the track record in the process. He answered all the questions and he obviously runs well fresh."
William Buick, who rode Frosted for the first time in his recent Carnival start, will be back aboard.
"We use the Godolphin jockeys for their horses," McLaughlin said. "We were familiar with William from the times he rode for Todd (Pletcher) in the States. He rode him beautifully at Meydan and we like the way horse and jockey compliment each other."
Also on Monday, Donegal Racing's Keen Ice with assistant trainer and exercise rider Tammy Fox aboard, galloped a leisurely two miles.
"He just worked (five furlongs) on Saturday, so we take it easy with him for a couple days after," Fox said.
At the suggestion of jockey Ryan Moore, who rode the son of Curlin to a seventh-place finish in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-I) on March 5, Keen Ice wore blinkers for the first time in his career for the work, and he will again for the Dubai World Cup.
"He went in :59 1/5," Fox said of the workout. "He seems to like it (the blinkers). It was a good move."
The connections were disappointed but not discouraged by his recent race at the track.
"We all know his style of running," Fox said. "He's a big plodder. When the pace is slow like it was (in the Al Maktoum Challenge) the leaders just sprint away from him. It takes him a while to get his momentum going. He needs pace to run at and I think we'll get more of that in the Dubai World Cup."
Al Shaqab Racing's Mshawish, a grade I winner on dirt and turf, galloped powerfully through approximately 1 3/8 miles on Meydan's dirt track with exercise rider Nick Bush in the saddle.
Ginny DePasquale, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, reported that the 6-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro has gradually been extended in his gallops since arriving in Dubai but will not be sent for any speed work prior to his start in the Dubai World Cup.
"We've kind of increased his distance; the first day it was maybe a mile, then a mile and a sixteenth, then a mile and three-eighths and then a mile and three-eighths again (on Monday)," DePasquale said. "He gets a lot out of his gallops."
Mshawish is no stranger to Meydan, having run in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (UAE-I) for the past two years. He finished fourth in the 2014 edition and was third last year.
"He seemed to know where he was when he got here, and he's enjoying it," DePasquale said of Mshawish. "When he walks to the track, he passes everybody else—he just troops right along with his ears pricked."
Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman's Hoppertunity, moving with sweeping strides down the Meydan stretch, worked approximately a half mile in a handy :48 2/5 on Monday. More important than the time, however, was how the five-year-old accomplished the move.
"Super good," reported trainer Bob Baffert's assistant Dana Barnes, who rode Hoppertunity in the drill. "He usually doesn't work by himself, so I was a little concerned, but he grabbed the bit and it was no problem.
"He loves it," she added of Meydan's dirt racing surface. "This track is really soft, whereas Santa Anita (Hoppertunity's home base in the United States) is pretty hard. All the horses seem to be like 'Yay!' when they feel this track."
The workout was timed by Leandro Mora, assistant to rival trainer Doug O'Neill, who stepped in when Barnes requested some help to get a gauge of how her horse was doing in what will be his only timed speed move prior to the race.
Among other Dubai World Cup contenders:
--Candy Boy, "Obviously it was not the plan to come here without a run since this race last year but he had a setback in November and we could not get a race into him," said trainer Doug Watson.
"Ideally he would have had a prep but it was not to be. He is as fit as we can get him at home and in great shape."
—Special Fighter, Trainer Musabah Al Muhairi commented: "We always believed he was very good and he proved it on Super Saturday. This will be a stronger race but he is in great form and we are very excited to have a genuine World Cup contender."
—Mubtaahij, "He has improved again since Super Saturday when he disappointed us but it was a strange race and we genuinely think he is better than that," said trainer Mike de Kock. "We are very hopeful of at least getting a check."
—Vadamos, Arrived in Dubai on Saturday with stablemate Manatee and Richard Lambert, travelling head lad for the Andre Fabre yard.
"On Sunday we stayed in the quarantine yard where we just trotted and jogged a bit," Lambert said. "Then this morning, we went out onto the main track at Meydan. Vadamos jogged and then did a slow canter about three-quarters around the track. He is well."
—Gun Pit, Trainer Caspar Fownes said: "He has been here in Dubai a while now having run second in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3. He's happy and settled and looked good this morning. I feel he can pick up a check for his owner again in the big one, especially if he can draw a good barrier like he did on Super Saturday."
—Teletext, Saudi Arabia's leading Cup horse of the year, steps back to 1 1/4 miles after winning three of his four starts this season. Beaten in a handicap won by Songcraft on his only previous appearance at Meydan in February last year, he is due to arrive in Dubai on Wednesday.
California Chrome enters the track March 19:
California Chrome March 19 work: