By Steve Sherack
With the rising sun providing a spectacular backdrop, there was plenty to take in at Meydan early Friday morning the day before the world's richest horse race.
The diverse crowd continued to trickle in to the allotted viewing area on the clubhouse turn during the 6:50 a.m. track renovation break, including Duncan Taylor and Perry Martin from the California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) camp, Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox, Hong Kong Jockey Club's Pat Cummings, et al.
Quite fittingly, the 2014 American Horse of the Year kicked things off as the first one to enter the freshly manicured surface. The strapping chestnut, second in last year's G1 Dubai World Cup, briefly enjoyed the track to himself while jogging the outer rail going the wrong way.
Fellow World Cup major player Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro) arched his neck and turned in another spirited gallop under the watchful eye of leading trainer Todd Pletcher as well as Al Shaqab's Bradley Weisbord.
Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday), sporting a trademark Bob Baffert blue shadow roll while guided by regular pilot Dana Barnes, seemed to appreciate the slightly cooler temperatures after getting noticeably warm the previous morning. Baffert, of course, has enjoyed more than his share of success in Dubai, including World Cup wins with Silver Charm in 1998 and Captain Steve in 2001 as well as a G1 Golden Shaheen victory courtesy of Secret Circle last year.
The robust Keen Ice (Curlin) kept exercise rider's Tammy Fox's hands full throughout his tour of the dirt oval while the legendary conditioner Andre Fabre–standing on the track–gave some last minute instruction to his riders aboard Vadamos (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) (World Cup) and Manatee (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) (G2 Dubai Gold Cup), respectively.
Japan's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic representative One and Only (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) immediately caught the eye with his pair of yellow front wraps while rounding the turn.
With the action beginning to wind down as last month's GII San Marcos S. winner Flamboyant (Fr) (Peer Gynt {Jpn}) (G1 Dubai Turf) leisurely headed off the track, trainers Michael Chang and Antoine de Watrigant spoke to the remaining press corps on hand. The Hong Kong conditioner will be represented by the popular two-time Golden Shaheen-placed and American Grade I winner Rich Tapestry (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). De Watrigant trains Australian Group 1 winner and four-time French group winner Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}), who will line up in the Dubai Sheema Classic.
Kiaran McLaughlin's powerhouse quartet of Frosted (Tapit) (World Cup); Lady Shipman (Midshipman) (G1 Al Quoz Sprint); Confrontation (War Pass) (Golden Shaheen); and Marking (Bernardini) (G2 Godolphin Mile), meanwhile, completed their preparations for the big day at Godolphin's nearby Marmoom Stables.
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