After a few weeks wondering where to run next, coach Brittany Russell has announced Laurel Parkwinners based on class 3 Wonderwherecraigis will travel halfway around the world for his next launch later this month.
Russell said Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables’ Wonderwherecraigis are expected to depart on a March 14 flight from Miami to Dubai to run at the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on March 26 in Meydan.
The winner of the January 29 Fire Plug Stakes in Laurel in his lone start to the year, Wondrwherecraigis worked half a mile in: 48.60 March 10 at Pimlico racetrack and left the next day for a stop in South Florida.
Wondrwherecragis was nominated on February 19 General George Stakes (G3) in Laurel and March 5 Tom Fool Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct race track before the connection stabilizes on the Golden Shaheen, disputes at an altitude of 1,200 meters or about six ropes.
“Obviously it’s a good purse and it looks like they really take great care of you in transporting the horses and taking care of the relationships,” said Russell. “It’s a bit of a back-and-forth.
“If you look around where we are at this time of year and what we’re going to do with him, it’s like, ‘You know what? Let’s take a tour,'” she added. .
Wonderwherecraigis will win two races into the Golden Shaheen. His famous 3 3/4 length win in the six-feathered Fire Plug was his first race since October 31 when he captured the seven-feathered Bold Ruler Stakes (G3) at the Aqueduct, First ranked win for horses and trainers.
“He’s doing really well,” Russell said. “Since the Fire Plug he’s trained well, and now it’s just about taking him there and hoping he’ll walk well, which I expect he’ll do.”
Among those invited to the Golden Shaheen there are tier 1 winners Discharge the watch based Gulfstream Parkand is based in California Dr. Schivel . Other horses in the final 10 list include the Japanese group 3 winner Copano Rockplaced fifth in last year’s Golden Shaheen and 3rd multi-team winner based in Dubai Al Tariq .
“You’re going to Dubai, so of course you’re going to catch some monsters. We don’t want to be 20-1, but on the other hand we won’t be the favorites,” Russell said. “We’re going there with a horse that thinks he’s on top of the world right now. Hopefully he still thinks that way when he leaves.”
