Frosted targets prep race in Dubai for World Cup

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Frosted, one of the top 3-year-olds of 2015, is set to head to Dubai on Jan. 23 to point for the $10 million Dubai World Cup, and his itinerary there could find him facing California Chrome more than once.

Frosted has been training at Palm Meadows, where he worked five furlongs in 1:00 Thursday, his fourth local work since finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. That last race was a rare off day for Frosted, who won the Pennsylvania Derby and Wood Memorial, was second in the Belmont and Jim Dandy, third in the Travers, and fourth in the Kentucky Derby during an ambitious 3-year-old campaign.

He has continued to thrive, according to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who described the Thursday work as “fabulous.”

“He worked really well,” McLaughlin said.

Frosted is slated for one more work in south Florida before traveling. McLaughlin said a pair of preps – Maktoum Challenge races Feb. 4 and March 5 – are under consideration prior to the Dubai World Cup on March 26.

California Chrome is slated to go to Dubai on Thursday, and he also is scheduled for at least one prep for the World Cup.

Joining Frosted on the Jan. 23 plane to Dubai will be Marking, Watershed, Elnaawi, and Confrontation.

Marking, second to Runhappy in the Grade 1 Malibu on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, likely will run in the Group 3, $250,000 Al Shindagha Sprint on Feb. 11. That would serve as a prep for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen on the undercard of the World Cup.

Watershed, fifth in the Malibu, and Confrontation, unraced since finishing second to Liam’s Map in a June 19 allowance at Belmont Park, are pointing to the Group 3, $200,000 Firebreak Stakes at a mile Feb. 4. That would serve as a prep for the $1 million Godolphin Mile on the World Cup undercard.

Elnaawi, who has raced only once since running third in last year’s Grade 1 Donn Handicap, could run in the Maktoum Challenge along with Frosted, McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin also is planning to send the newly acquired Lady Shipman to Dubai, but said she will travel closer to World Cup Day for her intended start in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint at five furlongs on turf. She worked a half-mile on dirt Thursday in 48.15 seconds.

McLaughlin’s top 3-year-old, Mohaymen, is following the same itinerary as Frosted did last year. After winning the Remsen, he is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 30. Last year, Frosted finished second in the Holy Bull after concluding his 2-year-old campaign with a second in the Remsen.

Mohaymen worked five furlongs Thursday in 1:01. McLaughlin had a big work day Thursday owing to the forecast for rain Friday, which proved correct. The track at Palm Meadows had no workers Friday as rain moved into the area.

– additional reporting by David Grening