Sprinter Roy H Takes Aim at International Success

After hitting the board last year, two-time TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Roy H will look for his first international success March 30 at Meydan Racecourse in the $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1), a race that has drawn most of the top dirt sprinters in the United States despite being contested on the other side of the world.

The strength of the field has caught the attention of Roy H's trainer, Peter Miller, but he's confident the 7-year-old More Than Ready  gelding can improve on his third-place finish in last year's Golden Shaheen, a 1,200-meter (about six-furlong) test that has drawn 10 runners.

"This is an unbelievable race in the making," Miller said. "I respect all the horses in the race. They're all good horses. It's a tough race, but I've got the two-time Breeders' Cup champion and a two-time Eclipse Award champion. If he runs his race, they're all running for second money. But, again, it's if he runs his race. He didn't run his race last year. He's got to run his race. Otherwise, it's anyone's game."

Campaigned by Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen, Roy H boasts seven graded stakes wins, including four at the highest level. He looked as good as ever opening 2019 with a four-length score in the Jan. 19 Palos Verdes Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. Brian Trump, operations manager for Gary Hartunian's Rockingham Ranch, said Roy H's versatility helps him.

"We'll see how this race plays out. If there's a hot pace up front, which there should be, it may set up for him to pick up the pieces," Trump said. "But he doesn't need that. He could actually be on the front end if he needs to be. That's the beauty of him; he's very versatile."

Roy H will break from the inside, and in fact, U.S.-based horses will start from the first four posts with Imperial Hint in post 2, X Y Jet in post 3, and Promises Fulfilled in post 4.

X Y Jet has also knocked on the Golden Shaheen door, finishing second in 2016 and last year, when he was passed for the win by the late-running Mind Your Biscuits—the 12th U.S.-based horse to win the race. Rockingham Ranch, in partnership with Gelfenstein Farm, also owns X Y Jet, who is trained by Jorge Navarro.

"He's showed up here two times," Navarro said. "What Mind Your Biscuits did here last year after stumbling out of the gate was out of this world. That was a super horse. Take him out of the race and now where do you put my horse? He has to be right there."

Two-time grade 1 winner Imperial Hint will take another crack at Roy H after finishing third in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint and second in the 2017 edition. Saturday will mark the first start outside the U.S. for Imperial Hint, who is owned by Raymond Mamone and is trained by Luis Carvajal Jr. The trainer loves how the 6-year-old Imperialism horse has looked in the mornings at Meydan.

"He goes nice and easy the first part, and then when he switches leads, it's like, 'OK. Hold on,'" Carvajal said.

Also making his international debut is Robert Baron's Promises Fulfilled, who won the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) last year at Saratoga Race Course. The four-time graded stakes winner, a son of Shackleford , will make his 4-year-old season debut Saturday for trainer Dale Romans.

Rounding out the U.S.-trained runners is Switzerland, a grade 3 winner for trainer Steve Asmussen who was purchased privately last year by Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi. The 5-year-old son of Speightstown  has had three starts this season at Meydan.

Beyond the U.S.-trained runners, Misty Hollow Farm's Drafted enters the Dubai Golden Shaheen off back-to-back group 3 wins this season at Meydan for trainer Doug Watson.

Dubai Golden Shaheen entries.