Appleby, Yibir look for more U.S. success in Man o' War Stakes
The England-based trainer Charlie Appleby enjoyed great success in the U.S. last year, winning six stakes - five of which were Grade 1’s - from 15 runners. Yibir was responsible for two of those wins, taking the Jockey Club Derby at Belmont Park in September before capping Appleby’s brilliant Breeders’ Cup by winning the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar.
Yibir will be Appleby’s first runner in the U.S. in 2022 when he runs in Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War Stakes at 1 3/8 miles over Belmont’s inner turf course.
The Man o’ War is one of five graded stakes on an 11-race card that begins at 1 p.m.
Yibir, a Godolphin homebred son of Dubawi, will take on five rivals in the Man o’ War, including Grade 1 winner Gufo, who finished 10th behind Yibir in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Yibir is winless in two starts this year, finishing a wide-rallying second in the Group 1 Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, and second as the 1-5 favorite to Living Legend in the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket on April 29.
“That didn’t worry me,” Appleby said of the loss at Newmarket. “It was just a race to make sure we were cherry right for this weekend in the Man o’ War.”
Yibir, who will again be piloted by William Buick, drew post 3 and figures to go off favored in the Man o’ War. Gufo was beaten a nose by Channel Cat in this race a year ago when coming off the layoff. He has a race under his belt this year, having won the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream Park in April. He will break from post 2 under Joel Rosario.
Completing the field are Abaan, winner of the Grade 3 William McKnight at Gulfstream in January and runner-up to Gufo in the Pan American; So High, fifth at 90-1 odds in the Man o’ War in 2021; and allowance types Easter and So High, both trained by Graham Motion.
While the Man o’ War is considered a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Manhattan here on Belmont Stakes Day (June 11), Appleby said that race is not necessarily on his radar for Yibir. He did mention the possibility of sending him back to the U.S. this summer for a race like the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. 27.