Edited Dubai Racing Club Report
Informed, continuing to improve his behavior during his morning exercise, galloped without incident at Nad al Sheba under exercise rider Tony Romero in preparation for the March 28 Godolphin Mile (UAE-II).
The 5-year-old son of Tiznow displays a powerful stride that jockey Aaron Gryder thinks will serve him well in the race.
“I think he’ll do ever better on this dirt track than he has done on the synthetics,” Gryder said during Breakfast With the Stars. “Some horses seem to be able to get a better feel of the dirt and race farther than they do on the heavier synthetic tracks.”
Informed has spent his entire 22-race career in Southern California, where all the tracks have synthetic surfaces.
Gryder praised trainer Doug O’Neill and his staff for their patience in working with the quirky Informed, saying that Informed has been “brilliantly trained” despite his tendency to lunge, rear and otherwise act up in his morning workouts.
“He’s continually improved,” Gryder added. “It’s amazing the progress that he’s made.”
Although difficult to handle in morning training, Informed is relatively easy to ride in races, he said.
“He’s been forwardly placed in some of his races, but he also can come from behind,” Gryder said. “I’ve been able to just put my hands down on him and he’s settled. I’m looking forward to riding him on the dirt on Saturday.” Informed and Gryder will start from post 11 in the 15-horse field.
Don Renato was third in last year’s Godolphin Mile and will bid to improve on that. His trainer, Jerry Barton, sounds hopeful rather than confident: “The Godolphin horses will be hard to beat but ours is well and we know conditions suit.”
