2009 Dubai World Cup Workouts

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Railbirds watch the Dubai World Cup horses on the track Monday morning at Nad al Sheba.
2009 Dubai World Cup Workouts

Date: 03/23/2009

It was a warm and busy Monday morning at Nad al Sheba as a number of runners expected to go in the $21 million total Dubai World Cup card on Saturday took to the track for some final preparations including some maintenance gallops and timed works. Many horses went a lap around the main dirt track, which is a distance of 2200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles). It was a rather dismal day with heavy overcast and high winds from a sandstorm or shamal.

Dubai World Cup card results and photos - Well Armed won the big race
2009 Dubai World Cup Entries and Post Position Draw
Tuesday workout photos - 13 horses
Wednesday workout photos from Al Quoz Stables - 13 horses

Thursday workout photos - 13 horses

Friday workout photos - 17 horses

Here are photos and comments for 29 of the horses. Please click the smaller photos to see a larger version.

Well Armed, third in the Dubai World Cup to Curlin last year, had his final work for the big race on Monday morning, timed by trainer Eoin Harty at 49 seconds flat for half a mile. Harty said, "I got what I expected. There was a pretty strong head wind. He enjoys his environment here. He thrives over here."

Albertus Maximus stood quietly near the finish line at Nad al Sheba Racecourse before galloping 1 1/4 miles under exercise rider Rob Massey. Trish McLaughlin, sister-in-law and assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, said the World Cup entrant felt "awesome. He was watching himself on the big screen as he went past it; he was just taking everything in," McLaughlin said. "He's been great since he's been here. He hasn't missed a beat."

Casino Drive had a gentle outing over the dirt course under his exercise rider Naruhito Kasai. "Our horse has been in good condition since he arrived in Dubai." said Nobutaka Tada,the racing manager for trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. "He"s eating very well, and there are no concerns about him so far."

Anak Nakal had his final workout before the World Cup before shipping over, having worked a half mile in 48.60 at Palm Meadows in Florida on the 16th. Tim Poole, assistant to trainer Nick Zito, said, the 4-year-old will gallop into the race, as he did on Monday. Poole said, "If there is speed up front, he has that closing kick that he can use, which he does when he wants to." Asked why Zito won't be in attendance on Saturday, he joked, "It's hard to get him west of the Mississippi."

Arson Squad worked 4 furlongs over the main track in 54.10 under Michelle Nevin, finishing up the final quarter in 26.21. The assistant to Richard Dutrow Jr. said that the drill was "just to open up his lungs. He went very easily and he was very happy with himself." The son of Brahms starts in the World Cup on Saturday.

Japanese Derby winner and 2008 Horse of the Year Vodka, a filly entered against males in the Duty Free, galloped on the main track under exercise rider Norihiro Kishimoto. Racing manager Keita Tanaka said, "She is in very good form. Her trainer has just arrived this morning, and we are all set for her breeze tomorrow morning." Jockey Christophe Lemaire gets the call in the World Cup.

Niconero, Australia's hope in the Duty Free, went out for a gallop on the main track. Trainer David Hays said of last year's 11th place finisher, "He's a social animal and he just didn't like being stabled by himself here last year. He fretted the whole time. This year it will hopefully be different as he has the company of the other Australian runner (Tuesday Joy)."

Kip Deville, 2007 Breeders' Cup Mile winner and second in 2008, galloped once around the Nad al Sheba main track under Michelle Nevin, assistant to trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. Nevin said Kip Deville will breeze on Tuesday as a blowout as his final work before the Duty Free on Saturday. He previously worked 3/4 in 1:14.80 at Gulfstream Park on March 17.

Australian mare Tuesday Joy will start in the Duty Free on Saturday, and went out for some maintenance work Monday morning for trainer Gai Waterhouse. She won the $200,000 Patinach Chipping Norton Stakes on March 7 at Randwick Park in her last start.

Hyperbaric galloped once around the main track under exercise rider Tony Romero in preparation for the Duty Free. It will be his first start since winning the Citation Handicap (G1) at Hollywood Park in November. Regular rider Tyler Baze gets the call on Saturday for trainer Julio Canani.

Trainer Luca Cumani sent his two World Cup day entrants, Purple Moon (green cloth, Sheema Classic) and Prevsis (yellow cloth, Duty Free) on Monday morning. He said, "I didn"t send any of them for breeze; only canter and gallop. They are both doing well. Purple Moon ran a big race in the Hong Kong Vase in December when beaten by just a short head and has improved tremendously after having finished approximately two lengths behind South African filly Front House in the Dubai City of Gold."

Informed made a spectacle of himself he leapt away from assistant trainer Leandro Mora before his gallop, and also tried to run off with exercise rider Tony Romero. Romero said, "He's always been (hard to handle) but he's been doing pretty good since he's been here and today he was the best so far." After they got him under control, he galloped 1 1/4 miles on the main track in preparation for the Godolphin Mile on Saturday. Mora, assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill, said, "I'm very, very optimistic that we have a good chance in the race."

Don Renato is back in the Godolphin Mile for trainer Jerry Barton after finishing third in the event to Two Step Salsa last year. He went out for a gallop on the main track on Monday morning.

Indian Blessing will make her first start against males in the Golden Shaheen for trainer Bob Baffert. She worked 3 furlongs in 33.94, getting the final quarter in a quick 22.67. Exercise rider Janell Gruss said, "I couldn't ask for anything else. She just scoots over this surface. She did that super easy and she galloped out strong." Assistant trainer Dana Barnes, on the phone with Baffert, added, "He was very pleased. She goes over this surface really well; she just loves the dirt, so that's a plus for her. Although she's raced well over the synthetic tracks, the dirt is a better surface for her. She just looks more comfortable."

Duff, an Irish-bred all-weather track sprint specialist from the UK, will make his first start in Dubai in the Golden Shaheen for trainer Edward Lynam.

Black Seventeen gelloped on the main track under exercise rider Colleen Hartford in preparation for the Golden Shaheen. Trainer and co-owner Brian Koriner is expected in Dubai Monday night, to observe his scheduled breeze Tuesday morning. Hartford said, "He"s doing great, he settled in right away,"

Lucky Quality, shipping in from Hong Kong for the Golden Shaheen, went out for a maintenance gallop on Monday. He is a perfect 4-for-4 over the same distance and surface at home at Sha Tin.

Machismo went out on the main track Monday morning under exercise rider Dana Barnes, who is looking after the gelding until trainer John Sadler's assistant arrives from California. Barnes said of the Golden Shaheen contender's chances, "He's very happy; he's good to go." Sadler won the 2004 Golden Shaheen with Our New Recruit, but is not expected to make the trip this year.

Balthazaaar's Gift has had three starts this year all on the turf at Nad Al Sheba, the last of which being his win in the Blackberry Handicap on February 20th but will switch to the dirt surface for Saturday's Golden Shaheen. Trainer Rod Simpson was at Nad Al Sheba to watch his sprint hope Balthazaar's Gift on the main track, and was upbeat about his horse's chances. Simpson said, "He works on the dirt every day at home, we don't have any turf back there. He did a nice piece of work this morning, and he loved it, he was bouncing of the track. He can win it!"

Change Alley, a Carnival winner in February, enjoyed a canter on the main track this morning ahead of his assignment in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe said, "He has come out of his last race well and we're pleased with him," he said. "We know we're taking on the best in the world, but in a sprint anything can happen, so we're hoping for a good run."

Sheema Classic entrant Youmzain, second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to Zarkava last year and to Dylan Thomas in 2007, was out on Monday morning for trainer Mick Channon. Channon said, "Richard (Hills, jockey) told me he was delighted with Youmzain. He's never been a dazzler in the morning but he's definitely giving off the right vibes. He's exactly where we want him to be for the Sheema."

Purple Moon is back in the Sheema Classic this year after his third-place showing last year. The Richard Gibson trainee is coming off a win in the Hong Kong Vase in December.

Marsh Side galloped on the turf course with racing manager Patrick Lawley-Wakelin looking on. Lawley-Wakelin said he "stretched his legs" through the stretch. Marsh Side's connections suffered a disappointment last November when the Neil Drysdale-trained horse developed a fever and was scratched from the Japan Cup after traveling to Tokyo from his California home base. "It was tremendously disappointing because we thought, depending upon how the race unfolded, he would run well," Lawley-Wakelin said.

Quijano, who was fourth in the Sheema Classic last year, is back to try again this year. The 7-year-old German-bred was second in the Dubai City of Gold Stakes on March 5 in his first start since finishing 9th in the Canadian International at Woodbine last year.

Red Rocks, winner of the 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf and the 2008 Man O'War, galloped 1 1/4 miles on the main track in preparation for the Sheema Classic. Trish McLaughlin is overseeing the 6-year-old until trainer Mark Hennig arrives later in the week. McLaughlin said, "He's training really great." Hennig has opted to just gallop the horse up to the race rather than have a timed work.

Naval Officer, third in the Meydan Classic on the turf last out at Nad al Sheba, galloped on Monday in preparation for the UAE Derby for trainer Jerry Barton. Barton said, "We planned to run him in the (UAE 2000) Guineas and then he got a sore foot. So this will be the first time he's been on dirt but he's by Tail of the Cat, so pedigree-wise you"d think he"d go on it. He's been training well on it to, but it's all different on racenight when the gates open."

I Am The Best, one of the local hopes in the UAE Derby, was sent out for a gallop by trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

Regionalista, unbeaten in 2 starts at home in Brazil last year, will start in the UAE Derby on Saturday.