During the decade beginning in the year 2000 when World Cup night was still held at Nad al Sheba, the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen was the domain of horses based in the United States. American-based runners took eight of those 10 runnings and a return to a conventional dirt surface for the first time since 2009 should see the red-white-and-blue in the thick of it Saturday.
The silks of owner Michael Pegram were borne aboard Captain Steve (Fly So Free) when he emerged victorious in the 2001 World Cup and TDN Rising Star Secret Circle (Eddington), owned in partnership with Paul Weitman and Karl Watson, will try to give the U.S. its first win in the Shaheen since Kinsale King (Yankee Victor) took the inaugural Tapeta running in 2010. Winner of the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, the 6-year-old was third to Rich Tapestry (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship and third in defense of his Sprint title next time out. The bay has also failed in his three most recent starts–taking his overall skid to a half-dozen–and is capable with Victor Espinoza taking over, but is anything but a slam dunk.
“He is just a monster of a horse and a proper sprinter,” exercise rider Dana Barnes said. “He has been full of himself since he arrived and seems at the top of his game.”
Since being transferred to the care of David Jacobson, Salutos Amigos (Salute the Sarge) has won eight times, including four straight, and may be America's biggest threat if the track is not against him. In his most recent victory in the GIII Tom Fool H. Mar. 7, he raced fairly handy to a modest pace and exploded away late. He may have to come from further out of it here over a course that has played kinder to those up close.
Rich Tapestry made history at Santa Anita last October, becoming the first Hong Kong-based runner to land a Grade I on U.S. soil, but reportedly bled in the Sprint and trailed in. He is unraced since, but has trialled sharply at home and is speedy enough to attend the pace and take advantage should the front-runners cancel themselves out.
Fellow Hong Konger Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) could help to make it a memorable evening for his sire, a son of the late 2000 World Cup winner Dubai Millennium (GB). Third to Krypton Factor (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) in this race in 2012, the 8-year-old certainly retains a zest for racing as indicated by his last-out third, beaten a neck, by the high-class duo of Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie dei Colori {GB}) and G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint hero Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) in the Chairman's Sprint Prize Feb. 15. The dirt is the variable, though he trialled brilliantly over the Sha Tin all-weather (dirt) track Mar. 17.
“I'm very happy with him and everything is on target for a big run,” said trainer Caspar Fownes.
Shaishee (Indian Charlie) defeated United Color (Ghostzapper) and Speed Hawk (Henny Hughes) made for a surprising trifecta in the G3 Mahab al Shimaal S. over the course and distance Mar. 7, but they would need to pick up their feet to be a factor in this main event.
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