Super Thursday, perhaps better tagged Dubai World Cup Preview Night, was jarred when World Cup favorite Bold Silvano was not entered in Round 3 of the $300,000 Maktoum Challenge, the 1 1/4-mile course and distance prep for the world’s richest race. The Mike de Kock-trained winner of Round 2 of the Maktoum Challenge is suffering from a foot bruise and will go straight to World Cup on March 26.
Victoire Pisa’s Dubai World Cup audition went according to plan on Sunday, as he romped to a 2 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2, $1.5 million Nakayama Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse.
Mont Pelato’s plans to come to America for the Blue Grass Stakes and a possible tilt at the Kentucky Derby hit a snag at Cagnes-sur-Mer on Saturday when the Forest Danger colt backed up to finish ninth in the listed $75,000 Prix Policeman.
Victoire Pisa, winner of the Arima Kinen, will use Sunday’s $1.5 million Nakayama Kinen to prepare for his March 26 date in the $10 million Dubai World Cup.
Mont Pelato’s bold American ambitions start on Saturday at the unlikely venue of Cagnes-sur-Mer, where he will use the listed, $75,000 Prix Policeman at 1 1/4 miles as a trial for Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes.
The Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan this winter has been largely a battle between Mike de Kock and Godolphin. On Thursday night, Godolphin’s boys in blue got the upper hand when the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Khawlah upset the odds-on de Kock-trained Mahbooba in the $250,000, Group 3 UAE Oaks.
Old Vic, winner of the French and Irish Derbies in 1989 when ridden by Steve Cauthen, was euthanized at Sunnyhill Stud in County Kildare, Ireland, on Monday after suffering a bout of colic at the age of 25.
Michael Jarvis, one of Britain’s leading trainers for many decades, announced his imminent retirement on Tuesday because of ill health.
Mahbooba appears to have her six rivals in the Group 3, $250,000 UAE Oaks over a barrel at Meydan on Thursday night. The Australian-bred Mike de Kock-trained Mahbooba whistled three weeks ago when taking the UAE 1000 Guineas by 3 3/4 lengths. At 1 3/16 miles, the Oaks is 3/16 of a mile longer than the Guineas, but that should only work to the advantage of Mahbooba, a daughter of Galileo.
Friday’s card at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand has been called off after an earthquake registering 6.3 on the Richter Scale struck the area on Tuesday afternoon.
