Dubai Golden Shaheen preview: American trio lead charge for US$2 million prize

Kent Desormeaux rides St Joe Bay to win the Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita Park on February 4, 2017 in Arcadia, California. Alex Evers / Getty Images

The American trio Mind Your Biscuits, Stallwalkin’ Dude and St Joe Bay are set to battle it out over in the US$2 million (Dh7.3m) Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, a sprint over 1,200 metres on the dirt.

Mind Your Biscuits is drawn the widest of the 14 runners while Stallwalkin’ Dude jumps out of gate 1 and St Joe Bay from gate 10 in America’s three-pronged attack in what looks like one of the most competitive races on the night.

The draw will have an impact with maximum runners drawn on the left-handed course with two sharp turns before a 400m dash to the winning line on a deep and testing surface.

However, Chad Summers, the trainer of Mind Your Biscuits, does not seem to be perturbed either by the wide draw or the challenge.

“I couldn’t be happier with him,” he said after Mind Your Biscuits’ jog back near the quarantine barn on Friday.

“He’s a horse who is doing well and right now we’re just hoping things stay like this through the race. I’m very confident in him. He’s looking great and we are ready. We’re just waiting for tomorrow.”

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■ Predictions: Horse-by-horse main event | All eight prior races

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Mind Your Biscuits is returning from a defeat to Unified in his last start since moving to Summers’ stables.

Before that, the four-year-old chestnut son of Posse was runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint before taking a Grade 1 at Gulfstream when trained by Robert Falcone Jr.

Stallwalkin’ Dude has won 17 of his 50 starts and the seven-year-old gelding does not seem to have lost any zest for racing.

He appeared no worse for wear after blowing out 600m in 38 seconds on his final work out.

“He came out of the work great,” said Howard Jacobson, assistant trainer. “We feel good about how he’s doing right now and this was more of the same. We haven’t taken him out of his routine.”

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St Joe Bay has been in impressive form, winning his last three starts, but this is the first time at this level in 22 starts.

Peter Miller, his handler, welcomed the wet weather over the past few days and added: “St Joe Bay will run on anything, but I have heard that rain will help the main track tighten.

“He will like that. He’s doing really well. I’m happy with his health and his energy level.”

The UAE champion trainer Doug Watson’s Cool Cowboy spearheads the local challenge.

Cool Cowboy went down narrowly to Morawij in the last start, but before that run, he pipped Muarrab over the course and distance. He seems to be doing well since dropping back to the trip after a campaign over the 1,600 distance.

Morawij was third 12 months ago, and seems to have peaked at the right time. The Dhruba Selvaratnam-trained seven-year-old has won both his last two starts and well-drawn on gate 2 to strike a blow.

Reynaldothewizard, winner of the Golden Shaheen in 2013, comes into the race with victory over Muarrab, last year’s winner of the race.

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