Imperial Hint Gets Rail in Aim at International Success
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Photo: Mathea Kelley/Dubai Racing Club
Imperial Hint trains ahead of the Golden Shaheen at Meydan
With the announcement that TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Roy H will not be contending the $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1) March 30 at Meydan Racecourse, other's from a strong American contingent may step in to fill his shoes.
The announcement that Roy H would be sidelined due to a hoof abscess came March 28.
Speaking at a news conference Thursday morning, jockey Jose Ortiz noted that with Roy H out of Saturday's race, he'll now have the inside position aboard Imperial Hint. Roy H had drawn post 1 and Imperial Hint post 2. Ortiz said he could go for the lead from the inside post but is confident Imperial Hint will rate, if needed.
The strength of the field was noted by Roy H's trainer, Peter Miller, and now the 1,200-meter (about six-furlong) test will have nine runners, including the three remaining U.S.-based horses that will start from the first three posts—Imperial Hint, X Y Jet, and Promises Fulfilled.
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.
X Y Jet
"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 finished third in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint behind Roy H and second in the 2017 edition. Both of his top-level scores—the Vosburgh Stakes and Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap—came back to back in New York just prior to last year's Breeders' Cup. Saturday will mark his first start outside the U.S., 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.