Benny the Bull pointed for Dubai

Benny the Bull, the dominant winner of the Sunshine Millions Sprint at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26, is being pointed to the $2 million Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai on March 29, his connections confirmed Friday.

Michael Iavarone, co-president of International Equine Acquisitions Holdings Inc., which owns the majority interest in Benny the Bull, said that although the group had received offers to purchase the horse, "we want to own him and go forward."

Benny the Bull, who ended his 4-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park, won the Sunshine Millions Sprint by 4 1/2 lengths. He ran six furlongs in 1:08.48 - missing the track record by 0.02 of a second - and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 115.

Richard Dutrow Jr. trains Benny the Bull, a 5-year-old son of Lucky Lionel.

"Rick said he came out of the race perfect, the race took nothing out of him, and the horse is doing better than ever," Iavarone said.

Iavarone said Shaggy Mane, fifth in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita, has been transferred to Dutrow from the California-based trainer Don Chatlos.