Gayego, who was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Stables at the beginning of the year, looks to be on track for his highly anticipated run in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (UAE-I) for 3-year-olds and up on the Dubai World Cup undercard at Meydan Racecourse March 27.
The Golden Shaheen, which is the fifth race on the card and will be run on the Tapeta surface, is slated for 11:15 a.m. EDT.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Gayego, a 5-year-old son of Gilded Time, prepped for the race with a second-place effort in Meydan’s Xpress Al Shindagha Sprint (UAE-III) Feb. 11, which marked his first start in that country. In all, he has won or placed in 11 of 15 starts—including a victory in the 2009 Ancient Title Stakes (gr. I) at Oak Tree at Santa Anita—and has earned $1,459,620.
Jockey Frankie Dettori gets the mount on Gayego, who will carry 115 pounds and break from post 8. Bred in Kentucky by Hargus and Sandra Sexton, Gayego was raced at 2 and 3 by Cubanacan Stables.
Another contender worth noting in the 10-horse field is Kinsale King, who is looking for his fourth consecutive victory while making his first start outside the United States. The 5-year-old son of Yankee Victor, who was bred in Kentucky by Marvin Little, will enter the Golden Shaheen off a victory in the Jan. 23 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park. Before that, he scored in the 2009 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (gr. III) at Hollywood Park.
Trained by Carl O’Callaghan for Super Horse, Kinsale King will be ridden by U.S.-based jockey Garrett Gomez. The pair will break from post 8.
Rounding out the international Golden Shaheen field, which contains horses from Australia, Japan, Ireland, and England in addition to the U.S., are group winners One World, Eagle Falls, Benbaun, Laurel Guerreiro, Rocket Man, Regal Parade; and graded/group stakes-placed runners Force Freeze and Mutheeb.
The $10 million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), $5 million Guangsha Group Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I), and $5 million Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) will be drawn March 24.
$2,000,000 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News (UAE-I, race 5, 11:15 a.m. EDT) 3-year-olds and up, about six furlongs (synthetic)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, Trainer
1. One World, 118, D Beadman, J Moore
2. Eagle Falls, 115, C Brown, D Hayes
3. Banbaun, 115, P Smullen, K Ryan
4. Laurel Guerreiro, 115, S Fujita, M Kon
5. Force Freeze, 112, T O’Shea, D Watson
6. Rocket Man, 121, R Fradd, P Shaw
7. Kinsale King, 113, G Gomez, C O’Callaghan
8. Gayego, 115, L Dettori, S bin Suroor
9. Regal Parade, 118, A Nicholls, D Nicholls
10. Mutheeb, 112, R Hills, M Al Muhairi