Imperial Hint, Stallwalkin' Dude depart for Dubai

Their travel plans to Dubai disrupted by Tuesday's winter storm, Imperial Hint and Stallwalkin' Dude had to go to Plan B on Wednesday, vanning from Belmont Park to JFK International in the morning, then leaving at noon for Belgium. The pair was scheduled to have a three-hour layover in Belgium before leaving for Dubai, according to Luis Carvajal Jr., the trainer of Imperial Hint.

Imperial Hint and Stallwalkin' Dude, the first- and second-place finishers last out in the Grade 3 General George Stakes at Laurel Park, originally had been scheduled to fly to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Tuesday and then head to Dubai with many of the other horses scheduled to run on the Dubai World Cup card March 25.

Carvajal said the charter flight had its own grooms on board and that he had sent Imperial Hint's groom, Rafael Barrera, to Dubai on Monday. Carvajal, who has a modest stable at Parx, is scheduled to head to Dubai on Friday. The horse's owner, Raymond Mamone, has chosen to stay home and watch the race on TV.

Imperial Hint and Stallwalkin' Dude will be rematched in the $2 million Golden Shaheen, a six-furlong sprint.

"I feel really good about things," Carvajal said. "I think my horse has a good chance in the race."

Carvajal gave Imperial Hint his final work for the Golden Shaheen on March 8 at Parx. The 4-year-old son of Imperialism went a bullet three furlongs over a “good” track in 35 seconds.

"He doesn't need too much," Carvajal said. "I wanted him to go a half-mile, so I sent him three-eighths and let him gallop out. He went magnificently."

Javier Castellano has the mount on Imperial Hint, a winner of four of his last five starts.