Trainer Silva hopes for more pleasant Dubai World Cup trip for Sleepy Eyes Todd

Saturday is race day, which is huge, the point of this whole endeavor, but Sunday is travel day, and that will be very welcome, too, for Miguel Angel Silva.

Silva is the trainer of Sleepy Eyes Todd, and because of this horse, he has been out on the road a good, long time. “Road” hardly does this trip justice. Silva traveled to Saudi Arabia the week before the Feb. 20 Saudi Cup, where Sleepy Eyes finished a tough-luck fifth. Silva went on with his horse to Dubai, where he has been preparing Sleepy Eyes Todd for Saturday’s $12 million Dubai World Cup. Having spent close to six weeks in the Middle East during a global pandemic, Silva is both excited and ready for it all to be over.

“I can’t wait for Sunday,” he said Monday night in Dubai, reached by phone. “I need to go home.”

Monday morning at Meydan Racecourse, Silva watched Sleepy Eyes Todd do his final semi-serious training for the World Cup. Sleepy Eyes Todd two-minute licked around the expansive Meydan oval and picked up the pace, breezing through the final three furlongs in about 36 seconds.

“To me, he looked beautiful. It was a little faster than I wanted, but he’s sharp right now,” said Silva.

Monday was fast-work morning for several American horses prepping for the 1 1/4-mile World Cup, and after training concluded, entries were drawn for Saturday’s card. Post positions were assigned for the Kahayla Classic (the lone Arabian race on the card), the Godolphin Mile, the UAE Derby, and the Dubai Gold Cup. Posts will be drawn late Wednesday morning, Dubai time, for the Group 1 races: the World Cup, the Sheema Classic, the Dubai Turf, the Golden Shaheen, and the Al Quoz.

Besides Sleepy Eyes Todd, Mystic Guide, the World Cup favorite, breezed three furlongs Monday under jockey William Buick; Luis Saez has the mount Saturday. Title Ready went an easy half-mile. Jesus’ Team had an early-morning gallop to get familiar with the Meydan track lighting, since the World Cup goes off well after dark.

The others entered Monday are Ajuste Fiscal, Capezzano, Chuwa Wizard, Gifts of Gold, Great Scot, Hypothetical, Magny Cours, Military Law, Salute the Soldier, and Thegreatcollection.

The Sheema, over about 1 1/2 miles on grass, drew 10 entrants headed by Saudi Cup winner Mishriff, Japanese star Chrono Genesis, Group 1 winner Mogul, and American champion turf horse Channel Maker. The Dubai Turf, contested at about 1 1/8 miles, drew a less-imposing group, topped by Lord North and Lord Glitters.

Americans Yaupon and Wildman Jack headline the 14-horse Golden Shaheen, though Japanese horses Copano Kicking and Matera Sky are good dirt sprinters. Three American runners – 3-year-old Cowan, Extravagant Kid, and True Valour – take on favored Space Blues and nine others in Saturday’s other Group 1, the six-furlong, straight-course Al Quoz.

Silva of course wants a decent draw for Sleepy Eyes Todd – and World Cup position will be important with 14 horses getting only a short run into the first of two turns – but even better would be a clean trip. Sleepy Eyes Todd finished fourth in the Pegasus World Cup after getting shuffled to the back of the field going into the first turn, and his passage through the Saudi Cup was even worse. Sleepy Eyes Todd broke decently, and steadied mildly racing at the back of the second group of runners midway down the backstretch of the one-turn, nine-furlong contest. Heading into the turn, Sleepy Eyes Todd got caught in a tight spot between horses and checked, losing any chance of making a run at top two finishers Mishriff and Charlatan.

Silva said Sleepy Eyes Todd lost some weight after the Saudi Cup and the ship to Dubai, but the 5-year-old horse has regained what he lost and gotten into a rhythm making the long walk from the international quarantine facility to the Meydan track every morning. Silva, 45, a former hotwalker and groom, the son of a trainer in Mexico, gets to the track early for training and returns in the afternoon to walk Sleepy Eyes Todd, reset his bandages, and “just hang out with the horse.” The rest of his time the last several weeks in Dubai has been quiet. Silva avoids public activity, still taking close care because of COVID-19, and while his horse has put weight back on, Silva said he’s lost 10 pounds since leaving America, his austere daily routine supplemented with trips to the workout room.

“I’m very happy I decided to stay here with him. We’ll try to bring back the prize Saturday night,” he said.