Galicado will miss UAE Derby with illness

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Argentine Grade 1 stakes winner Galicado will miss a start in the $2 million United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai on March 28 because of illness, trainer Ron McAnally said Wednesday.

Galicado, who has yet to race in the U.S., was scheduled to depart Tuesday but remained at Santa Anita after being diagnosed with a temperature of 102.

“He’s been the best eater in the barn, and he left half his mash the night before,” McAnally said. “We didn’t want to chance it on a 17-hour flight. Yesterday, we got the temperature back down through medication. We gave him half his feed, and he did eat.”

The UAE Derby is run at 1 3/16 miles on dirt.

Galicado won consecutive Grade 1 races in Argentina in May and June 2014. In the last month, Galicado has had six workouts – two at six furlongs, two at seven furlongs, and two at a mile. Because of that foundation, McAnally is hopeful that Galicado can begin his California racing career in the coming weeks.

“We’ll make sure he’s all over it and continue with his training and racing,” McAnally said. “We did have him ready to run a mile and an eighth.”