Edited Dubai Racing Club release
Still recovering after the long journey from the United States to Dubai, the 12-horse American contingent for the March 28 Dubai World Cup races continued to stretch their legs March 22 and get acclimated to Nad al Sheba, with most sent out for easy gallops.
Among those making a striking appearance on the track was 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner Red Rocks , a six-year-old son of Galileo owned by J. Paul Reddam who is being pointed to the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I). Red Rocks galloped a mile after jogging three furlongs under the watch of Trish McLaughlin, who is caring for the horse until trainer Mark Hennig arrives later in the week.
“He’s settled in well and he’s doing everything right,” McLaughlin said of Red Rocks, who last year defeated Horse of the Year and Dubai World Cup winner Curlin in the Man o’ War Stakes on the Belmont Park turf.
The other American candidate for the Dubai Sheema Classic, grade I winner Marsh Side , took a tour of Nad al Sheba’s turf course for the second consecutive day. Winner of last year’s Canadian International Stakes (Can-I), Marsh Side races for his breeder, Robert S. Evans.
Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) challenger Anak Nakal galloped about 1 ¼ miles under exercise rider Eddie Cruz. “He liked the track; there’s no problem with that at all—he gets over it real well,” Cruz said.
Trainer Rick Dutrow’s pair of Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) contender Kip Deville and Dubai World Cup entrant Arson Squad both galloped about 1 ¼ miles, with Arson Squad going out early and Kip Deville the last American on the track. Dutrow’s assistant, Michelle Nevin, who rode both, reported she was pleased with what she described as just “easy and uneventful” strolls.
Among the other gallopers were Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) entrant Machismo and Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) contender Informed, who was even more aggressive than he was on Saturday, pulling away from assistant trainer Leandro Mora and leaping into the air under rider Tony Romero as he began his exercise.
Dubai Duty Free challenger Hyperbaric jogged for the second day, covering about 1 ¼ miles. “He was really very good, very relaxed,” reported Daniel Drouet, who is helping trainer Julio Canani with the grade I winner.
Download: Dubai World Cup pre-entries.