Lea Makes A Bid For World Domination

By Emma Berry 
In the 20-year history of the G1 Dubai World Cup, plenty has changed, not least the venue. But there’s a theme of continuity in this anniversary year with the presence at Meydan of Bill Mott, who took the inaugural running of the race with the mighty Cigar (Palace Music). 

The trainer is accompanied this year by another GI Donn H. winner, Lea (First Samurai), and he has an excellent chance of lifting the trophy once more with his charge likely to start second-favorite to fellow American challenger California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit). 

For the 6-year-old’s owner/breeders Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, it’s a second shot at the Dubai World Cup after another homebred collaboration, Congrats (A.P. Indy), finished fifth to Roses In May (Devil His Due) 10 years ago. 

Claiborne has a long, rich history of producing top-class racehorses by the farm’s own stallions and Lea is no exception. The top-rated son of current resident First Samurai, Lea was the first foal of the homebred Galileo (Ire) mare Greenery, a stakes-placed three-quarter-sister to the group/graded winners Grassy (El Prado {Ire}), and Savannah Bay (GB) (In The Wings {GB}). After winning in Grade III company on the turf followed by another Grade III strike on the dirt, Lea got his dam off to the best possible start at stud when winning the GI Donn H. in February 2014. 

Unfortunately, he wasn’t seen again for 11 months after a virus ruled him out for the remainder of the previous season. 

“We were thinking about retiring him,” admitted Claiborne’s Walker Hancock, who is in Dubai with co-breeder Dilschneider, his aunt Dell Hancock and Claiborne manager Bernie Sams. 

“But Bill said he was doing so well and he’s still a fresh horse, so we thought why not keep him in training. Unfortunately we missed the majority of the year but it didn’t take anything out of him racing-wise. We didn’t really know how he was going to come back but it doesn’t look like he’s missed a step.” 

That assessment is certainly shared by all who have seen Lea in his preparation at Meydan this week. Arriving on the main track around 6:30 a.m. Friday as the sun rose ahead of another roasting hot day in Dubai, he appeared to be a picture of contentment under exercise rider Neil Poznansky. 

His main rival California Chrome has been the focus of much of the attention this week, but one senses that for Lea’s softly spoken team of trainer, owners and breeders, that’s exactly the way they’d prefer it. Their taking chestnut has gone about his work with the minimum of fuss, including Friday’s final sharp blowout over a little less than a quarter-mile, displaying a calm demeanor that should stand him in good stead for the razzamatazz of Saturday’s $30 million meeting. 

With quiet pride in her voice, Adele Dilschneider said of Lea, “He’s laidback and happy to be wherever he is. Since arriving in Dubai he’s eating like a champ and just doing everything right.” 

Asked about the team’s decision to keep the entire in training, she replied, “We let him tell us.” 

Lea’s comeback run in the GIII Hal’s Hope S. on Jan. 10 proved to the team that they were right to listen to both horse and trainer in keeping Lea on the go as a 6-year-old. Having used the Hal’s Hope as a springboard for the Donn H. the previous season, the same tactic was deployed once more and failed only narrowly when Lea was beaten just three-quarters of a length by Constitution (Tapit). Eventually the decision was taken to come to Dubai. 

Walker Hancock said, “I guess we thought about it a little bit after the Hal’s Hope. We wanted to see how he ran in the Donn and he obviously ran another good race. We didn’t really know what to do after the Donn and Bill kind of pushed us a little bit but I’m glad he did.” 

Hancock continued, “He’s a smart horse with a great disposition–he takes everything so well. I guess that’s one of the reasons why we thought it would be okay to ship him. He’s a horse who is easy on himself.” 

He added with a grin, “The $10 million purse doesn’t hurt of course. Obviously California Chrome is a good horse but we think we have a worthy challenger and we’ll give him a run for his money.” 

For Hancock, who has succeeded his father Seth at the helm at Claiborne, this is a first visit to Dubai and one that he’s likely to remember for years to come. 

“I’ve loved it since I’ve been here,” he said. “Hopefully Saturday will be the icing on the cake. Obviously we’ve been watching his rivals in the race since we’ve been here but I’m confident in our horse and as long as he runs his race I’ll be happy.” 

Dilschneider, too, is enjoying the experience, with her previous visit to the Dubai World Cup having taken place at Nad Al Sheba. 

“I was here with Congrats 10 years ago but this [Meydan] is a whole new place–it’s quite something, really wonderful,” she noted. “It’s very exciting to be here with Lea. Breeding and racing a horse like this, that’s the dream–it’s what everybody wants to do.” 

It’s unlikely to be the last time that Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider are represented by a world-class campaigner. Lea’s dam Greenery recently foaled a filly by the farm’s flagship stallion War Front and the intention is for her to return to the son of Danzig this year. 

Hancock said, “It always makes it better when you have the dam and the sire–it’s like being doubly rewarded.” 
The breeders have already reaped rich rewards for their patience in Lea and it will be a fitting result if further riches come their way Saturday.