World of Trouble Seeks First Graded Win in Carter

Some horses have names that sound great or are perfectly constructed.



That's not the case with World of Trouble.



The 4-year-old son of Kantharos  is definitely a misnomer—as far as his racing career goes.



Trainer Jason Servis said the Florida-bred can be a "son of a gun" around the barn, a wild spirit who might bite or kick an unsuspecting passer-by.



"He's like Mike Tyson. He's always ready to go at you," Servis said.



Yet on a racetrack, World of Trouble has been a world of joy for owners Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, and Michael Caruso's Bethlehem Stables.



Since Dubb bought the colt privately in 2017 following a debut win in a $25,000 maiden claiming race, World of Trouble has won five of nine starts, with all of the wins coming in stakes. And he finished second by a neck to Stormy Liberal after a classic stretch duel in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). 



Now the fleet 4-year-old will try to enter the brave new world of a graded stakes winner when he takes on an expected seven foes, including 2018 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) winner Vino Rosso, in the 118th renewal of the historic $400,000 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack April 6.



That World of Trouble can even compete in grade 1 stakes speaks volumes for his class and versatility.

"Mike says his (Ragozin) Sheet numbers are better on the grass," Servis said. "But he's just a runner. He's doing good. He really is."



Judging by his past two starts on a wet track, World of Trouble is anything but a slouch on dirt. Last year, he was third in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in March but then was switched to turf in the summer and won a pair of stakes before his superb performance at the Breeders' Cup.



Bred by Darsan out of the Valid Expectations mare Meets Expectations, World of Trouble moved to the main track for the FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Dec. 15 and splashed to a 13 3/4-length victory over a sloppy track in 1:22.50 for seven furlongs.



He was scheduled to return to turf Jan. 26 for the $150,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes, but it was transferred to a sloppy main track. He led throughout and won by 2 3/4 lengths in :56.44 for five furlongs. Finishing second was Recruiting Ready, who bounced back to take the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (G3) in his next start.



"He had a big race at Gulfstream Park, and after that there wasn't much out there for him, so we decided to keep him in Florida and train there and then ship north for the Carter and start our New York campaign," Servis said about the earner of $671,400. "It gives him two months, and when I give him spacing, he usually shows up."



The field that showed up for the seven-furlong Carter came up shy in terms of overall quality. Vino Rosso and Identity Politics are the lone starters who have finished first or second in a grade 1 or 2 stakes.



Owned by Mike Repole and St. Elias Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher, Vino Rosso posted his first win since last year's Wood Memorial when he opened his 4-year-old campaign with a three-quarter-length victory in the March 9 Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct.



In his career, the son of Curlin  has won four of 10 starts, with earnings of $929,125. Bred in Kentucky by John Gunther and bought for $410,000 through Gunther's Glennwood Farm consignment to the 2016 Keeneland September Sale, he is 3-for-3 at the Big A.



Pletcher, the seven-time Eclipse Award winner, has notched three wins in the Carter, including last year with St. Elias' Army Mule  in the ridgling's third and final start.



"He's training great. We really like the way he came out of the Stymie," Pletcher said of Vino Rosso. "He's fully matured as a 4-year-old and really filled out. He's not only matured physically but mentally as well, and we're really pleased with his first race off the bench. We're not sure if (sprinting is in his future), but with the grade 1 status of the Carter and it being such a prestigious race, for a horse like him with his conformation and pedigree who is a major stallion prospect, a grade 1 win would really bring him forward, especially if you were able to win at multiple distances."



Klaravich Stables' Identity Politics enters the Carter for trainer Chad Brown off three seconds, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26. In his 4-year-old debut, the $350,000 purchase from Halcyon Hammock Farm's consignment to the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale was second by a head in a March 3 optional-claiming allowance at Gulfstream.



The Carter, with an approximate post time of 5:22 p.m. ET, can be seen on MSG and Fox Sports 2 during shows that run from 3-5:30 p.m. (MSG) and 4-5:30 p.m. (FS2). The MSG program will feature the Bay Shore Stakes (G3), Excelsior Stakes (G3), Gazelle Stakes (G2), and Carter. FS2 will carry the Excelsior, Gazelle, and Carter.

Entries: Carter H. (G1)

Aqueduct Racetrack, Saturday, April 06, 2019, Race 9

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $400,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:22 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sir Ballantine (KY)	Michael J. Luzzi	115	Danny Gargan	20/1
2	2Vino Rosso (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Todd A. Pletcher	5/2
3	3Life in Shambles (KY)	Eric Cancel	117	Jason Servis	12/1
4	4Identity Politics (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	116	Chad C. Brown	8/1
5	5Skyler's Scramjet (KY)	Rajiv Maragh	117	Michelle Nevin	10/1
6	6Timber Ghost (KY)	Junior Alvarado	115	James A. Jerkens	30/1
7	7Honor Up (NY)	Jose Lezcano	116	Michelle Nevin	6/1
8	8World of Trouble (FL)	Manuel Franco	121	Jason Servis	1/1