U.S. trio Hong Kong-bound

The three American representatives traveling to Sha Tin for this year's Hong Kong International Races on Dec. 11 were scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon.

Nicole's Dream, who will run in the five-furlong, $1.28 million Hong Kong Sprint, is scheduled to touch down at 12:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday from Chicago, while Designed for Luck and Willow O Wisp, who departed from Los Angeles, were to arrive at 6:05 p.m. Wednesday.

The winner of 15 races going five furlongs on turf, Nicole's Dream will be up against a pair of Royal Ascot group-race sprint winners, Cape of Good Hope and Chineur. Two-time defending champion Silent Witness reportedly worked poorly this week and may miss the race. Designed for Luck, second in the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile off a 16-month layoff on Oct. 8, will do battle with Hong Kong's champion miler, Bullish Luck, as well as his Japanese counterpart Asakusa Den'en in the $1.8 million Hong Kong Mile.

Designed for Luck's stablemate Willow O Wisp, the five-length winner of the Del Mar Derby, will take on defending champ Alexander Goldrun, Rakti, and local hero Vengeance of Rain in the $2.3 million Hong Kong Cup at 1 1/4 miles.