Yaupon will return in Golden Shaheen

Yaupon, last seen finishing eighth as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, will start his 2021 season in the Group 1, $1.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 27 at Meydan Racecourse, trainer Steve Asmussen said Thursday.

Four-year-old Yaupon brought a 4-for-4 record, including wins in the Grade 2 Amsterdam and the Grade 3 Chick Lang, to the BC Sprint but failed to factor with no apparent excuse, his trainer said earlier this year. Yaupon has been working steadily at Fair Grounds since late January and will be among the favorites in the 1,200-meter (about six-furlong) Golden Shaheen.

Asmussen has a second runner for the race, too, in Jalen Journey, who won at Oaklawn on Jan. 23.

Snapper Sinclair, as earlier reported by Daily Racing Form’s Mary Rampellini, runs in the Godolphin Mile for Asmussen and Bloom Racing.

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The Asmussen-trained Cowan, who was a troubled second in the Saudi Derby last month before going on to Dubai, will start in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint over a straight six furlongs on turf rather than the UAE Derby at about 1 3/16 miles on dirt, Asmussen said. In his most recent grass try Cowan finished second by less than a length to Golden Pal in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. As a 3-year-old he gets about a nine-pound weight break from his older rivals in the Al Quoz.

Closer to home, Asmussen said Silver State would next race in the $500,000 Essex Handicap over 1 1/16 miles on March 13 at Oaklawn. Four-year-old Silver State, based at Fair Grounds, has won three races in a row, most recently capturing the Fifth Season Stakes on Jan. 23 at Oaklawn.

Big Lake, who has won two-turn maiden and allowance races on dirt in his last two starts, both at Fair Grounds, will make his stakes debut March 13 at Oaklawn in the Rebel Stakes. Big Lake, an American Pharoah colt, got an 81 Beyer Speed Figure for his first-level allowance win Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds.