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Silver Charm looks for Dubai repeat
Posted: Saturday March 27, 1999 08:49 PM
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Silver Charm, the 1997 Kentucky Derby winner, will try for a second straight victory in the Dubai World Cup Sunday night. Among the seven horses out to stop the strapping gray horse in the $5 million race at Nad al-Sheba Racecourse will be Victory Gallop, the 1998 Belmont Stakes winner, and High-Rise, winner of last year's English Derby at Epsom Downs. Should Silver Charm succeed, it would be without the presence of trainer Bob Baffert, who was at Turfway Park in Kentucky Saturday to saddle Kentucky Derby hopeful Straight Man for the Gallery Furniture.Com Stakes. Silver Charm and Straight Man are owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis. Eoin Harty, a Baffert assistant, will saddle Silver Charm. Joining Silver Charm and Victory Gallop in representing the United Stakes is Malek, fourth in this 1 1/4-mile race on the dirt last year. High-Rise is one of four starters owned by the ruling Al Maktoum family of Dubai. Almutawakel is owned by Sheik Hamdan al Maktoum. High-Rise, Daylami and Central Park are owned by the Godolphin Racing stable of Sheik Hamdan and his brothers, Sheiks Mohammed and Maktoum al Maktouom. Sheikh Mohammed manages the operation. Also in the field is British-owned and trained Running Stag, whose last four starts were in the United States. Post time is 11:15 a.m. EST. There will be no betting at Nad al-Sheba. Wagers will be taken on the race at tracks and off-track facilities in Canada and 28 states, but not in New York, where betting on racing is prohibited on Palm Sunday. Silver Charm, second to now-retired Awesome Again in the Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 7 at Churchill Downs, opened 1999 with a win in the San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita. In his last two starts, however, he finished third in both the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park and the Santa Anita Handicap March 6. The $3 million winner's share Sunday would make Silver Charm the second biggest money earner in thoroughbred racing history with $9,803,006. It would move him past Skip Away ($9,616,368) and place him behind Cigar ($9,999,815). Silver Charm, ridden by Gary Stevens, his regular jockey, will start from the No. 3 post. Jerry Bailey will ride Victory Gallop from the No. 4 post. The 4-year-old colt, trained by Elliott Walden and owned by brothers Art, Jack and J.R. Preston, was fourth in the Breeders Cup Classic. He opened 1999 by winning an allowance race March 3 at Gulfstream Park. "Victory Gallop won't try to get past Silver Charm at the start," Walden said. "He'll stay behind, and Silver Charm won't see us coming." Malek, ridden by Alex Solis, has raced only twice since his fourth place in Dubai last year. He finished second to Silver Charm in the San Pasqual, then was second in the San Antonio Handicap Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old Chilean-bred horse, trained by Dick Mandella and owned by Francisco Cortes and wife Theresa. will start from post No. 7. "Silver Charm is still the horse to beat," Mandella said. The four Maktoum-owned horses will be making their dirt-racing and 1999 debuts. High-Rise last raced when he finished seventh in the Prix de L'Arc de Triomph Oct. 4 at Longchamp in France. Daylami, who won the Man o'War at Belmont Park Sept. 12, finished third in the Champion Stakes in his last start Oct. 17 at Ascot, England. Central Park finished fifth in the Prix Niel Sept. 13 at Longchamp, and Almutawakel was eighth in the Prix Dollar Oct. 3 at Longchamp. Running Stag, seventh in the Breeders' Cup Classic, hasn't race since finishing second to Silver Charm in the Clark Handicap Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs.
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