Friday, March 26, 2010

DUBAI WORLD CUP LATEST

He said: “Everything has gone smoothly. He had his two prep-runs and is spot on for the big one, and all we need now is the rub of the green.”

American owner J. Paul Reddam was keen to book New York maestro John Velazquez, who has been impressed with what he has seen of the horse.

Velazquez, hero of 3,000-plus winners Stateside, including six Breeders’ Cup race and a Dubai World Cup in 2005 on Roses in May, said: “I liked what I saw of Crowded House on video, and that is why I am here. He was unlucky not to win the second of his two prep races, and he seemed to handle the track very well.

“This looks a wide-open [Dubai] World Cup, and if he runs the race he ran last time he will be right there at the finish. The Europeans look every bit as good as the Americans in terms of class and form, and, while everyone is telling me that he has a good-way chance, I am here to win, and I’ll be disappointed if we get beat.”

Furthest Land – After Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Furthest Land galloped about 2000 meters (approximately 1¼ miles) on Friday, assistant trainer Lazaro Guerra pronounced that “he’ll be tough tomorrow” in the Dubai World Cup.

“He’s doing everything perfectly,” Guerra said, “and we’re really happy to be among the 14 best horses in the world. We just have to wait and see what happens.”

Gio Ponti – With owner Shane Ryan of Castleton Lyons farms in Lexington, Kentucky, looking on after arriving in Dubai on Thursday night, American champion Gio Ponti galloped about 2000 meters (approximately 1¼) miles over the all-weather track on Friday morning.

The move was light and fluid, designed not to be as intense as the five year-old’s keen gallops over the last three days, said assistant trainer and exercise rider Christophe Lorieul, noting that an easy gallop on the day before a major race is the standard preparation for Gio Ponti.

“Everything is 100%,” declared trainer Christophe Clement after supervising the move. “I just wish he was a little more settled mentally. Everything is still a little bit new to him (at Meydan) and he is looking around. He’s not quite where we would ideally want him to be mentally. But he’s training well and he’s looking well. We just need to be lucky now.”

“We’re not that far off,” Lorieul said of Gio Ponti’s mental focus, adding that while he and Gio Ponti were standing on the track Friday morning and two horses breezed on the turf course behind them, his mount just took a quick look without jumping or becoming unsettled. Gio Ponti schooled without incident in the saddling enclosure and parade ring earlier this week and has become more settled as his training has progressed.

Lorieul said that Meydan’s All Weather track seems to suit Gio Ponti, who finished second to Zenyatta but ahead of Dubai World Cup contenders Twice Over and Richard’s Kid in the Breeders’ Cup Classic over Santa Anita Park’s All Weather surface on Nov. 7.

“He moves very well on the (Meydan) track,” Lorieul said. “When he switches leads, he doesn’t drift in or out. He’s very comfortable.

“I hope he runs as good as he looks,” he added.

After watching Gio Ponti gallop, Ryan said he is looking forward to the US$10million Dubai World Cup.

“It’s a great competition,” Ryan said. “Christophe seems to be very happy with (Gio Ponti), so we’ve just got to give it a go.”

Gloria de Campeao – Dubai World Cup contender Gloria de Campeao was out on the All Weather track where he cantered once around and then finished his morning exercise with a slightly faster canter over four hundred meters.

His Trainer Pascal Bary said: “Gloria de Campeao has certainly come on from his run three weeks ago. He likes the surface, is drawn well and looks good. However, I think it is a more difficult race than last year’s edition.”

Red Desire cantered easily on the All Weather track. Trainer Mikio Matsunaga was on hand as his filly worked at Meydan and commented, “She knows the race is coming shortly, so she is likely to be a bit tense, but it is not a big problem. She is actually in very good form, and I think her condition is better now than for her last run in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3. It is a very pleasant surprise that she has improved a lot compared to this time last season. For this, her first trip abroad, it was a great help that Vodka was with her. In fact, when Vodka left for Ireland, Red Desire felt her departure, and missed her, so we changed her barn to where she could see Buena Vista, and she settled down again. Everything is set for the big event tomorrow.”

Richard’s Kid – Group 1 Pacific Classic winner Richard’s Kid will break from post 10 in the Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline. The plain bay cantered 2400 metres Friday morning over the All Weather track at Meydan Racecourse.

When an onlooker commented on how relaxed Richard’s Kid appeared in his training, assistant trainer Jim Barnes replied, “That’s him. He’s very relaxed.”
As is the case with most of the American contingent, Trainer Bob Baffert and assistant Barnes have scheduled a light morning for Saturday.

DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC, SPONSORED BY GUANGSHA GROUP

Anmar, Campanologist, Eastern Anthem & Cavalryman – Campanologist’s jockey Ted Durcan said: “He is a really genuine horse but he hasn’t drawn well one from the outside which is a bit of a worry but it looks as if there is pace in the race so that might string them out a bit and he is an easy horse to ride in the sense that he can position anywhere.”

Buena Vista was sent out on turf for a lap of the track. French jockey Olivier Peslier, who is committed to the Japanese champion filly, commented, “As I looked at her in the stable, she looked nice and very relaxed. I think she is in very good form. Her condition is down to the stable staff who have done a great job with her. I was supposed to ride her today, but I did not, because she might want to go faster if I was up on her, so her trainer changed his mind in favour of her regular exercise rider. All of the other horses in the field are very competitive, but the reason why I picked Buena Vista was because she has a big chance on Saturday.”

Judd Street – “He didn’t pick up on the All Weather on his two starts here in February, but it was a different story back on the grass last time. He loves Haydock and that track reminds me of this one. I see Saturday as though we’ve drawn a lottery ticket and my jockey (Kieren Fallon) sounds confident so I’ll bow to his greater wisdom,” said trainer Eve Johnson Houghton.

Pan River – “We’ve got good expectations but I have to say that having studied my rivals closely it looks as though everything in the race has a chance. I wanted us to have been drawn in the first five or six gates and my wish was granted and I’ll be giving him an aggressive ride,” said jockey Selim Kaya.

Presious Passion – Seeking his 15th career win in the Dubai Sheema Classic, Presious Passion had a light morning on Friday at Meydan.

“He basically went to the jogging track, jogged a little, walked a little,” said trainer Mary Hartmann. “He basically looked around. It’s good for him mentally.”
Hartmann said that she would normally do less with the gelding the day before a big race but, with the D ubai Sheema Classic scheduled for 8:35 p.m. local time, she let him do a bit more, “If he’s not night racing we generally walk the day before he runs. Make sure he has plenty of energy to sustain his racing style.”
Race night will hold many challenges for all of the contenders, but the challenge that concerns Hartmann the most for Presious Passion is the length of the turf course stretch.

“It’s a long way and he’ll duke it out coming down the stretch,” she said. “It’s a long way to duke it out.”

Hartmann equates the way her trainee is coming into Saturday with the way he came into the Breeders’ Cup.

“We had a nice prep for him at Gulfstream in the Mac Diarmida (for this) and we had a nice prep at Santa Anita in the Clement Hirsch (before the Breeders’ Cup). Both races were slower than he usually runs so he didn’t leave it all out on the track. I think his best effort is in front of him.”

Quijano – The German challenger Quijano turned up as usual on the All Weather track where he cantered under the watchful eye of trainer Peter Schiergen who said: “He cantered again this morning and we are hoping he runs well tomorrow. He should be fresh enough but it is not an easy race.”

Spanish Moon – The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Spanish Moon went for a 1200 metre canter on the turf on Friday morning. He was accompanied by his stablemate Confront, who is a Dubai Duty Free contender.

His handler said: “I have Spanish Moon in the [Dubai] Sheema Classic. I think it is a tougher race than last year. But he is in good shape. He shipped in on Sunday and he is very consistent internationally. But it is a hard race. He has a second and a third of the Breeders’ Cup to contend with, he was only fourth, and then there is the Japanese filly as well. But he is consistent.”

Youmzain – “He was third in this race in 2007, fifth in 2008 and very unlucky when fourth here last year, getting no luck in the straight. He really should have won that time, and I’m still really not too sure why he didn’t. Of course he’s another year older now but I can promise you that he’s fit enough to do himself justice,” said trainer Mick Channon.

Youmzain went for a canter on the All Weather track and his handler continued: “He is seven now and I’m very happy with him. He seems to be the Youmzain of old and I hope that is the horse that will turn up on the night, but you just don’t know. I’m nervous as well as I know that he is certainly capable of running a real big race. It is the first race of the year and you want him to perform. He has been a flag bearer for many years and we are in his owner’s neck of the woods and I want to do well.”

DUBAI DUTY FREE, SPONSORED BY DUBAI DUTY FREE

Alexandros, Calvados Blues & Justenuffhumor – Ted Durcan, jockey of Justenuffhumor said: “He needed the run last time when he was fifth for me in the Jebel Hatta and the race wasn’t run to suit either. From his gate 3, I expect I’ll have him around midfield but he’s ready for a big showing and has the class to be in the shake-up when you think he was third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.”

Confront had a 1200 metre canter on the turf with stable companion Spanish Moon. His trainer Sir Michael Stoute said: “They had a little breeze yesterday morning, so today they just went for a six-furlong (1200m) canter. Confront is a little bit better than it appears, because he won three on the trot last autumn, from August, September through October. Then he went to Hong Kong and he was very badly drawn, didn’t get a good run and he was sixth beaten only two and a quarter, two and a half lengths. He is a bit better than that. We are hopeful that one or the other will finish in the frame.”

Courageous Cat – One of the most rewarding aspects of training horses is to see how young individuals with talent can develop into superior performers, and America’s Racing Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott says he is seeing a potentially exciting progression with Courageous Cat.

Even over just the four months since the four-year-old son of Storm Cat finished a strong second to international champion Goldikova in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Mott said he has noticed changes in Courageous Cat —and they’ve all been positive.

“He’s really settled a lot. He acts more mature and business-like and he seems to be handling everything better now, so I guess that’s a good thing,” Mott said on Friday morning while leaning against the Meydan All Weather track rail with his son, Riley. They watched Courageous Cat glide by, his robust muscles rippling while he covered the surface in a silken smooth light gallop.

Asked about his hopes and expectations for Courageous Cat—whose California-based owner and breeder, Marty Wygod, has flown to Dubai for the Dubai Duty Free — Mott smiled.

“I hope we win,” he said. “As to my expectations, I guess you learn in this business to accept the outcome whatever it is. You wait and see what happens.”

Mott said he respects every other runner in the 16 horse Dubai Duty Free field, and particularly cited three-time Hong Kong Mile winner Good Ba Ba as a strong contender.

“I would never underestimate anyone (in the field),” Mott said. “We respect them all. But we think our horse is doing very well and he showed, particularly in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, that he’s a horse of very good quality.”

Assistant trainer Neil Poznansky, who has been riding Courageous Cat all week for his gallops and one workout over the turf course, said he could not be more pleased with the colt’s condition.

“I can’t wait to see him run,” Poznansky said.

Good Ba Ba – Trainer Derek Cruz said: “He stayed in the quarantine area this morning. Same story: he’s in great form and very relaxed. I hope he can stay like that. Sometimes he has tendency to sweat up and become agitated before the race. I have no worries. He’s going to run a big, big race. He has the class to win if he can get a little luck in running.”

Take the Points – Starlight Partners’ striking gray galloped about 1,800 meters (approximately 11/8 miles) on Friday morning and received high marks from his connections for his training and overall health during the entire time he has been in Dubai.

“It seems like he hasn’t missed a step,” said assistant trainer Ginny DePasquale. “And he’s eaten everything in sight—he licks his feed tub clean, so that’s a good sign.”

Take the Points will be trying to achieve a number of significant firsts on Saturday, including becoming the initial American-based horse to win one of the Dubai World Cup’s major turf events. If he can capture the Dubai Duty Free, he also would be the first Dubai World Cup program winner dispatched by Todd Pletcher, who has won the Eclipse Award four times as America’s outstanding trainer and who has said he very much wants to capture a big prize on the international stage in Dubai.

“It would be like winning the Kentucky Derby for the first time for us,” DePasquale said before adding “and it would be amazing if we won both (the Dubai Duty Free and the Kentucky Derby) this year.”

In addition to having a strong chance in Dubai with Take the Points, Pletcher’s barn in America includes several top candidates for the Kentucky Derby, so if he reached the landmark wins at both Meydan and Churchill Downs, it would not be a shock by any means.

Pletcher has previously sent out ten runners in Dubai, with the best finishes being runner-up efforts by Harlan’s Holiday in the 2003 Dubai World Cup, Alke in the 2004 Dubai Golden Shaheen and Friendly Island in the 2007 Dubai Golden Shaheen. His starters also have included Magna Graduate, who was third in the 2006 Dubai World Cup and A. P. Arrow, who was fourth in the 2008 Dubai World Cup.

Starlight, an American partnership headed by Jack and Laurie Wolf and Donald and Barbara Lucarelli, campaigned Harlan’s Holiday.

The Usual QT – Preparing for a return to turf in Saturday night’s Dubai Duty Free, The Usual Q.T. jogged in the jogging ring Friday morning near the quarantine barn at Meydan Racecourse.

Trainer Jim Cassidy was looking to keep his charge fresh and said, “That’s why I just jogged him. I want to be sure he’s pretty sharp.”
The California-bred gelding lost his right front shoe when walking Friday morning, something Cassidy nearly predicted might happen.

“I was just looking at his feet saying to myself, 'We have to have a blacksmith tighten his shoes,'” he said. "Two steps later, he pulled it off.” A blacksmith was on hand to replace the shoe without incident.

Twenty percent owner George Saadeh joined Cassidy at Meydan for morning training. The Palestinian born, San Diego based, partner mentioned that he and his wife named the Usual Q.T. for his twin granddaughters, Quincy and Taylor.

DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN, SPONSORED BY GULF NEWS

Kinsale King walked in the quarantine area at Meydan on Friday morning. According to trainer Carl O’Callaghan, the lightly raced 5 year-old will do the same Saturday.

“He’s good,” said O’Callaghan. “Very, very, very, very fresh, you know. He’s not keen. He’s too kind to be keen. The way he’s feeling this morning, he’s back to himself.”
O’Callaghan admitted to feeling a little bit of pressure in a race dominated by American runners over the years.

In his Irish brogue O’Callaghan quipped, “America has been so successful. They have won 810 races. And you’re the only one in there, you know. You wish John Sadler is in their helping you out. But I can carry my own.”

Laurel Guerreiro – the Dubai Golden Shaheen runner put in a routine canter on the All Weather track under his exercise rider Mitsuo Uegomori.

One World – John Moore, trainer of One World said after the horse cantered on the Meydan All Weather: “He has done very well since he has been out here. We are going into the race with a very strong chance from gate 1. The pace should be strong and I expect will Darren Beadman [jockey] will try and have him somewhere like three-back on the rails and with regards to racing in the anti-clockwise direction, I don’t anticipate any problems as he has been changing legs (leads) at just the right time here in his work.

“The other thing is that he has been handling the (All Weather) surface very well. His body weight is within its winning range of 1100lbs and so everything is lined up and we believe he is going to be very close in the finish. But I think Rocket Man, the Sinagpore horse, is the one to beat.”

Rocket Man – Owner Fred Crabbia said after Rocket Man’s gentle workout on the Meydan All Weather track: “He is a freakishly good horse, just exceptional. I think he’ll win this, to be honest. It could even be a walk in the park for him. He is that good. It would be a wonderful thing for Singapore racing too, its biggest ever victory. It’s very exciting.”

UAE DERBY, SPONSORED BY THE SAEED AND MOHAMMED AL NABOODAH GROUP

Enak, Frozen Power, Mendip & Siyaadah – Enak’s jockey Ted Durcan, said: “Genuine horse, this fellow, with six lengths to make up on Frankie’s horse [Mendip] but he’s better off at the weights by 6lbs to help him a little. He will stay the trip well but on the formbook I guess Mendip and the horse of Mike de Kock’s [Musir] will be very hard to down.

Oroveso and Uncle Tom – Oroveso and Uncle Tom cantered once around the All Weather track and then went a little faster over 400 meters.

Their handler Pascal Bary said: “Oroveso is looking good but I’m not sure if he is in the same class as the other contenders in the race. Uncle Tom is really doing well and I think he is very good horse.”

GODOLPHIN MILE, SPONSORED BY ETISALAT

Calming Influence, Desert Party & Skysurfers – Skysurfers jockey Ted Durcan said: “I just wonder if that run in the Burj Nahaar when he was admittedly disappointing last time might have come a bit quick for him, just after a two week’s break. I know that Saeed [bin Suroor] is really happy with him at the moment. He has had an easy three weeks since that last run and it might be the making of him. Obviously, his stable mate Desert Party is the one to beat but my horse has had a really nice recent preparation and he shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

Cat Junior – The Brian Meehan is hopeful of a big run from Cat Junior, who steps up in class, having made all to win what was a competitive handicap over the course last time.

Meehan said: “The ‘Cat’ has a terrific draw in stall two, and Jamie (Spencer) knows him well, so fingers crossed he can get to the front and stay there.”

Glorious Noah – The Godolphin Mile runner from Japan had a leisurely canter on the all-weather course. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi supervised his colt at Meydan and commented, “All I told the jockey this morning was to give him a nice work out. He was a little stiff when he started to canter, but he loosened up and was moving well at the end. We are all set and going into the race with confidence.

AL QUOZ SPRINT, SPONSORED EMIRATES NBD

All Silent – Sydney jockey Corey Brown flew in from Sydney last night to have his first ride on All Silent at Meydan Friday morning. All Silent had his first outing on the course proper but restricted to a breeze up the straight. All Silent has never been a sharp track worker but Brown was pleased with the way the horse felt.

Asset, Fravashi & Sirocco Breeze – Asset’s jockey Ted Durcan said: “Asset is Asset. He has a mind of his own. He has the engine but it’s all down to him. He has the ability to run a blinder but he can turn in a bad run just as easily. He is a hold-up horse so having the American horse [California Flag] likely to blaze away in front should help him.”

California Flag – The California-based California Flag jogged 1600 metres Friday morning at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Trainer Brian Koriner mentioned that he was careful to keep his typical pre-race routine.

The morning prior he and jockey Joe Talamo walked the 1200 metre turf straightaway. Koriner spoke of the amount of water used to keep the course lush in the desert climate.

“We walked the course yesterday, Joe and I,” Koriner said. “We were soaked when we got back. There was so much water on the turf course it soaked up our pants to our knees. That’s how wet it was.”
Koriner also mapped out his strategy.

“We picked a path,” he said. “I told him that when we get past the gap we are angling to the fence. Either way you got to go down to one of the fences because it’s downhill from that point down. We did walk it and it does slope off.”
He continued, “It’s going to be as much sit tomorrow as possible, at least the first quarter of a mile or the first three-eighths to try to stack them all up and make them sit there, then hopefully just ease away from them.”
Koriner also mentioned that California Flag is doing better in Dubai than during his last trip overseas.

“Hong Kong it seemed like he had a little urinary tract infection”, Koriner said. Here he’s been perfect. When we got home we put him on antibiotics and he was good after three days.”

Joy And Fun – Joy And Fun’s trainer Derek Cruz said: “Everything – and I mean everything – has gone great with his prep. He ran a close third in the Hong Kong Sprint and that’s the strongest turf sprint in the world year in, year out. It gives me confidence.”

Mariol – The Robert Collet-trained Mariol cantered on the All Weather track Friday morning. Collet said: “He ran well at Deauville in good ground, so I’m hoping that he can handle the track here. He doesn’t mind soft ground either, he goes in everything. He looks good and is ready to run.”

Sir Gerry – British trainer John Best, who runs Sir Gerry in the big speed race on turf on Saturday night, is optimistic that he might ruffle a few feathers.

Sir Gerry’s last seven races have been on the All Weather, the last five here at Meydan, where he caused a huge upset when winning on the opening day in January.

However, Best stressed that sticking to the synthetic surface has been the plan. He said: “Everyone told me that the turf course would ride firm and it is certainly looking that way, and, while you often find that horses will go on it once, invariably they won’t let themselves down a second time, so we have purposely kept to the (All Weather) at the Carnival.

“We haven’t even galloped Sir Gerry on grass since we arrived here, and Ryan (Moore) rode him in a spin on the All Weather on Wednesday. Ryan does not smile too often, but he got off grinning from ear to ear, which is an encouraging sign, and, while I am not predicting victory I think we can finish in the money, maybe even in the first three.

“Sir Gerry really pleased me when finishing third to Desert Party here on Super Thursday. I had told Ted (Durcan) not to go for glory but to ride a proper race so that we could see just what we had, and the horse ran a corker.

“If I win, there will be no point in asking me to attend the post-race interviews as I will have no voice – I will have shouted myself hoarse.”

War Artist – “Forgive ‘n Forget” is the advice of Newmarket trainer James Eustace as he reflected on the Super Thursday disappointment of War Artist, and he stressed that those racegoers who are playing in the Pick Seven should not leave him out of permutations.

War Artist, who had a blow-out on Wednesday, was restricted to a “steady canter” Friday morning with his trainer declaring, “all the serious work is done and now we just need a bit of luck.”

Eustace, reflecting on that recent disappointment, said: “It was not a disastrous run as he was only beaten three and a half lengths and was giving weight, but you could say that he was a bit below-par, and, thankfully, there are valid excuses.

“He was a bit sore on his off-fore afterwards, but, more significantly, he gave a few coughs and a subsequent tracheal wash revealed a slight bacterial infection.

“Obviously, it was visually disappointing as he didn’t quicken the way he did when he won so well here first time out, and, while it is not ideal coming here on the back of a defeat like that, he has bounced back and is fit and well. There will be plenty of pace from the American speedball, who should give us a good tow, so, hopefully, we can finish in the money.”

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