World of Trouble can't be caught in Jaipur Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – As brilliant as World of Trouble had been in winning six of his first 10 starts, he was winless in three tries in a graded stakes race.

In the last two months, World of Trouble won three straight graded events including Grade 1 stakes on both dirt and turf. Two months after winning the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on dirt at Aqueduct, World of Trouble went gate to wire to win Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park.

“It’s unbelievable,” said majority owner Michael Dubb. “I’ve been in this game a long time, I’ve never had a horse that’s [won a] Grade 1 turf and dirt before. You think about it, 20,000, 30,000 horses born a year how many are Grade 1 turf and dirt?”

Dubb purchased World of Trouble for $160,000 following his 14-length debut in a $25,000 claiming race in August 2017. He has since brought in Michael Caruso’s Bethlehem Stables and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables as partners.

Though World of Trouble had run four times on turf, he never caught truly firm ground as was the case Saturday at sun-splashed Belmont Park.

He seemed just fine over it.

Under Manny Franco, World of Trouble broke sharply and outsprinted the mare Belvoir Bay to the lead through a quarter in 21.99 seconds while opening up 1 1/2-length lead.

That fraction made trainer Jason Servis smile.

“I thought that was good letting him go in [almost] 22,” Servis said.

Franco said he knew he was going fast, but he was comfortable.

“I knew that I was rolling in front, but I just tried to ride him like I always ride him – a long hold with him, don’t get in his mouth too earl,y and he always responds," Franco said.

Belvoir Bay looked like she might be making a run at World of Trouble near the eighth pole, but World of Trouble found more and won by 1 3/4 lengths over a late-rallying Om. It was three-quarters of a length back to Disco Partner, who had won this race each of the last two years.

Belvoir Bay finished fourth, followed, by Diamond Oops, Dirty, and Wild Shot. Gidu, who won an allowance on Friday, and Undrafted were both scratched.

World of Trouble covered the six furlongs in 1:06.37 and returned $2.80 to win.

“He’s a special horse,” Servis said. “I’m really looking forward to training some of his offspring.”

The Jaipur was a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, which will is scheduled to be run at five furlongs this fall at Santa Anita. In the interim, World of Trouble could return to the dirt for his next start, perhaps in the Grade 1 Alfred. G Vanderbilt at Saratoga on July 27.

Disco Partner had won the last two runnings of the Jaipur including setting a course record of 1:05.67 in 2017. He ran well Saturday, but he was no match for World of Trouble, finishing 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

“Got beat by a nice horse,” said Irad Ortiz Jr., jockey of the 7-year-old Disco Partner. “I had a good trip, no excuse. He’s an old guy, but he’s a runner. I wish I could have been a little closer, but I couldn’t.”