Two of the world's top dirt sprinters, Straight No Chaser and Tuz, top the talented cast for the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on the Dubai World Cup (G1) program April 5 at Meydan Racecourse.
Reigning Eclipse champion male sprinter Straight No Chaser comes to town sporting back-to-back victories in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) last November at Del Mar and the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia Feb. 22.
The son of Speightster, now 6, has won five of his last six starts, a skein broken only in the Runhappy Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack nearly 11 months ago when he stumbled at the start.
Dan Blacker trains Straight No Chaser, whose career is eagerly chased by his thousands of MyRacehorse microshare owners.
Those MyRacehorse throngs will be up against the local crowd, which will be cheering on Tuz, an 8-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Oxbow , who won last year's Golden Shaheen by 6 1/2 lengths and has carried all before him during the 2024-25 World Cup Carnival under the guidance of trainer Bhupat Seemar.
Tuz has won all four starts during the season, none by less than 3 1/4 lengths. His cheering section also will have some Americans, notably from his breeder Calumet Farm.
"It's always nice to have a horse you bred that goes on and does well," said Calumet general manager Eddie Kane. "Breeding is why we're in the game and it's especially nice to have a horse by Oxbow, who we bought as a yearling. It's always fun to see that."
Tuz is a speedball who burns out his rivals early yet has another gear of his own in the lane. Straight No Chaser also has made his mark with front-running tactics but was successful with a stalking trip in his Breeders' Cup win. Should the two hook up in a speed duel, there's no shortage of rivals looking to take advantage.
Trainer Wesley Ward returns with Nakatomi, third in the 2024 Golden Shaheen and winner of last summer's Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Saratoga Race Course. Nakatomi, a 6-year-old son of Firing Line, finished third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in 2023 and sixth in the 2024 edition. His international credentials extend to his owner partnership of Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay.
Jorge Delgado will give Chantal Sutherland a leg up on Super Chow, a multiple graded stakes winner up and down the United States East Coast who will be held as an outside chance despite having won the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes in his latest start. Sutherland, recently returned from a career-threatening injury, acknowledged Super Chow's long-shot status.
"Super Chow is doing really well. I breezed him. He's strong, healthy, and really happy, and I guess that's all we can really ask for," she said. "Just have to see how it all plays out."
Japan, always dangerous in these big international meetings, has three entries in the Golden Shaheen, including the Yoshito Yahagi-trained American Stage. That Into Mischief 3-year-old, bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, finished second, five lengths behind Tuz, in the Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) in their last start. Oisin Murphy takes the return call.
Remake, fourth last year in the Golden Shaheen and twice winner of the Korea Sprint (G3) in 2023-24, takes Frankie Dettori aboard for trainer Koichi Shintani but has finished well back of Straight No Chaser in their last two meetings.
