Vinery Stables’ Regally Ready took his first tour of the vast Meydan Racecourse on March 1 after clearing quarantine following his arrival in Dubai on Feb. 27 for a two-race campaign capped by the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (UAE-I) on March 31.
“He went to the track this morning and was nice and relaxed,” said John Nicholls, who oversees Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) quarantine facilities for the Dubai Racing Club. “He looks well and strong, so he’s over the first hurdle—the flight did not seem to take much out of him.”
Trainer Steve Asmussen has mapped out a plan for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IIT) winner that is much like the path that two-time Horse of the Year Curlin trod during his 2008 sojourn to Dubai that concluded with victory in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I).
If all continues to go according to that plan, Regally Ready will prep in the $175,000 Meydan Sprint at about five furlongs on turf during the Dubai World Cup Carnival’s Super Saturday program on March 10. His main target, the Al Quoz Sprint, is one of seven co-features on the $28 million Dubai World Cup program.
A 5-year-old gelding by More Than Ready , Regally Ready won the five-furlong Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in :56.48 on a Churchill Downs course rated good last November. That clocking was almost three seconds faster than the winning time recorded by international group I winner J J the Jet Plane in last year’s Al Quoz Sprint on the Meydan course.
Just prior to the Breeders’ Cup, Regally Ready won the Nearctic Stakes (Can-I) at Woodbine in his typical front-running style, completing six furlongs in 1:11.35 on a yielding course.
The winner of half his 18 career starts, Regally Ready has been a model of consistency, placing in seven additional races. He has earned $1,219,684.
Regally Ready
