The American challenge for Dubai World Cup night is swelling.
Just days after Frosted laid down a World Cup marker of some substance at Meydan, Mshawish booked his ticket for the US$10 million (Dh36.3m) event on March 26 with a commanding victory in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
It was a first win at Grade 1 level on dirt for the six-year-old son of Medaglio ‘Oro, who is owned by Al Shaqab Racing, and it showcased his versatility having won a top-level handicap on turf at the Florida racecourse 12 months ago.
Read more: Trainer McLaughlin expects a victory for Frosted in Round 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge
Mshawish ran third to Solow in the Dubai Turf last season, having finished fourth to Just A Way in 2014 in the same race.
The Dubai Turf looks a hot race with Solow set to defend his crown and Japanese raider Maurice an expected runner, and wisely trainer Todd Pletcher suggested that the world’s most valuable race is the intended aim for Mshawish, who was ridden by John Velazquez.
“We’ll go to Dubai and make a decision, but hopefully it will be the World Cup,” Pletcher told reporters.
The Donn Handicap is a traditional prep race for the Dubai World Cup, with Cigar, Captain Steve and Invasor all using the 1,800-metre contest as a warm up to World Cup success. Roses In May was second in 2005 before winning at Nad Al Sheba.
“I loved the way he finished up at a mile and an eighth,” Pletcher said. “That was kind of the one thing we were looking to prove, that he could stay a mile and an eighth on the dirt. I actually thought he ran the best race of his career, and he’s run some good ones before that. It was good to see him finish up like that. He got a great trip.”
Keen Ice, the only horse to defeat Triple Crown winner American Pharoah last season, was a lacklustre sixth after he was held up in the rear of the field by Javier Castellano but is still expected to ship to Dubai.
“It was hard to come from behind but I liked the way he did it today because he came running the last part,” the jockey said.
“He passed the wire galloping out strong and passed the other horses. I couldn’t pull him up; a mile and a quarter will be good for him.”
On the same card Kiaran McLaughlin’s Lady Shipman dominated the Ladies’ Turf Sprint Stakes to complete a memorable three days for the trainer.
McLaughlin’s Frosted proved the Meydan dirt held no fears when he was an easy winner of the Al Maktoum Challenge on Thursday, and McLaughlin saddled a double when Confrontation won the Firebreak Stakes.
Lady Shipman was far too good on her first start for McLaughlin, and she finished the firm 1,000-metre turf course in 58.14 seconds under Irad Ortiz.
Fresh off the plane from Dubai, McLaughlin was delighted with the run.
“She made it look easy,” he said. “She broke well and Irad always had plenty of filly under him, so it was a very nice comeback race. We’ve had her just over a month. We’re happy.”
Lady Shipman was just edged out by Mongolian Saturday from the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, when Al Quoz Sprint third Green Mask filled the same spot at Keeneland in October.
The daughter of Midshipman, her sire who was fourth in the opening round of the 2010 Al Maktoum Challenge on Tapeta at Meydan, is expected to ship to Dubai a week ahead of her intended run in the Quoz Sprint.
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