The barrier draw for Saturday’s Dubai World Cup thriller was held earlier today. Enjoy the flashquotes from the connections.
California Chrome
California Chrome (USA) – He was the penultimate horse drawn and trainer Art Sherman picked stall 11. Sherman said: “The outside draw is good if you’ve got the horse and I hope we have.
“There wasn’t too much I could do about the draw. He’s got tactical speed so I’m not going to worry about it.”
Candy Boy (USA) – The fourth horse out with trainer Doug Watson opting for stall 6.
“I went for six as it’s in the middle of the racecourse. I’m hopeful it will give us a good position. He doesn’t show a lot of speed out the gates so I didn’t want to be on the inside and bang in the centre seemed a good place to be,” said Watson.
Frosted (USA) – The fifth horse drawn with Jimmy Bell, President of Darley USA, selecting stall 9.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said: “We were hoping to be outside of the speed. Special Fighter is speed as is California Chrome (who later drew post 11). We didn’t want to go all the way outside. There’s a long run into the first turn which should help us secure position.”
Gun Pit (AUS) – The first horse picked and trainer Caspar Fownes selected stall 3.
“He drew the inside when he ran second on Super Saturday. We were the first name called out today and we’re delighted to put him in barrier three. He will be handy,” said Fownes.
“We’re looking forward to Saturday night. I can think he can run a very respectable race from three.”
Hokko Tarumae (JPN) – The third horse picked out. Trainer Katsuichi Nishura chose stall 8 and said: “We’re glad to come back here. Number eight is a lucky number. From that post we can break to see what the other horses are doing and position ourselves accordingly.”
Hoppertunity (USA) – The ninth horse out. Dana Barnes, assistant to Bob Baffert, picked stall 10 and said: “That was really our only choice – one or ten and so we had to pick outside.”
Keen Ice (USA) – The 10th horse out. Jerry Crawford of owners Donegal Racing picked stall 1. He said: “The thing that made it (choosing the rail) attractive was that it was that or the 11 or the 12. We have speed drawn to our immediate inside in the two-hole (Mshawish), so we should have room to manoeuvre and navigate from there. We are going to be first time blinkers so I think that will make him a little keener, excuse the expression.”
Mshawish (USA) – Came out second, and Al Shaqab Racing’s US manager Bradley Weisbord selected stall 2.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said: ”The track is good on the inside and with our horse’s experience we know he doesn’t mind being inside. We talked to Frankie earlier and his choices were – in order – two, three, four, five, six and one so why not go with his first choice? Hopefully we’ll be in a good stalking position – that would be ideal.”
Mubtaahij – in the yellow silks
Mubtaahij (USA) – The seventh horse out. Trainer Mike De Kock’s son Matthew selected stall 4. He said: “We didn’t want to be one but wanted to be on the inside as there has tended to be inside bias through the season. The horse is peaking at the right time and should give a good account of himself.”
Special Fighter (IRE) – The sixth horse out and trainer Musabah Al Muhairi picked stall 5. “He’s surprised everybody because he has done so well this season. I hope he will do a good job in the big race,” said Muhairi.
“I would have liked to be drawn six because that’s where he was when he won the Maktoum Challenge but that had gone so I’m very happy with draw five.”
Teletext (USA) – The last horse picked. The owner’s racing manager Saad bin Mishrif was left with stall 12. “I had no choice. I was last to draw so had to take number 12. Had I had a choice I would have gone for six in the middle,” said bin Mishrif.
Vadamos (FR) – The eighth horse out, stable representative Alexandre Olive picked stall 7. “We’re very happy with the draw. We wanted to be in the middle,” said Olive. “I think he’ll be alright on the dirt as he was second to Solow on the sand at Chantilly so there shouldn’t be a problem.”
