Indian Blessing headlines Shaheen; Gayego, ‘Salsa loom in Godolphin Mile

Indian Blessing worked sharply on Monday (Dubai Racing Club)

Two-time champion filly INDIAN BLESSING (Indian Charlie) will square off
against 11 males in Saturday’s $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1),
contested down the about six-furlong straightaway at Nad al Sheba.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Indian Blessing has found her niche sprinting on the
dirt. The dark bay blazed to daylight victories in the Prioress S. (G1), Test S.
(G1) and Gallant Bloom H. (G2), but did not look as potent in her next two
starts on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride. Runner-up to the sensational Ventura (Chester
House) in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Indian Blessing posted a 1
1/2-length score against her own age group in the La Brea S. (G1) last time out.
Baffert deliberately chose to freshen her up in advance of the Golden Shaheen,
her first assay versus males. With John Velazquez opting to stay in the United
States to ride Quality Road (Elusive Quality) in Saturday’s Florida Derby (G1),
Edgar Prado takes over at the helm.

Gayego (left) goes in the Mile, while Big City Man (right) lines up in the Golden Shaheen (Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins)

Although American sprinters have won the last five runnings of the Golden
Shaheen, the international brigade is not without a shot this year. One-time
Calder juvenile star BIG CITY MAN (Northern Afleet), now conditioned by the
Saudi-based Jerry Barton, was a stylish winner of his first two starts of the
season. Successful in the Al Shindagha Sprint (UAE-G3) two back, he yielded only
to Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) entrant Gayego in the Mahab al Shimaal (UAE-G3) last
time out at this track and trip. In the process, Big City Man defeated
Godolphin’s DIABOLICAL (Artax), who just missed in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
in his 2008 finale. Both Big City Man and Diabolical will be teaming with with
their usual partners, Jose Verenzuela and Frankie Dettori, respectively.

Europe’s preeminent dasher, five-time Group 1 hero MARCHAND D’OR (Marchand de
Sable), takes another stab at the Golden Shaheen. When making his dirt debut in
the 2007 edition, the Freddy Head trainee wound up eighth to Kelly’s Landing.

Two Step Salsa was too hot for his foes last time out (Dubai Racing Club/Andrew Watkins)

The Godolphin juggernaut of GAYEGO (Gilded Time) and TWO STEP SALSA (Petionville)
would have been prime contenders in the Golden Shaheen, but they were pitched
into the $2 million Godolphin Mile instead. Both made a big impression in their
debuts under the royal blue silks.

Multiple Grade 3 victor Two Step Salsa, who rounded out 2008 with a third to
likely Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) favorite Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great) in
the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, rolled to a 3 1/2-length score in an about
six-furlong handicap. Dettori has opted to ride Two Step Salsa in the Godolphin
Mile.

Gayego, last year’s Arkansas Derby (G2) winner, oozed class when getting up
in time in the Mahab al Shimaal, and the added ground here should prove no
obstacle. Ted Durcan has the return call.

Only one American has signed on, INFORMED (Tiznow), from the Doug O’Neill
barn. A near-miss second to Cowboy Cal (Giant’s Causeway) in the San Pasqual H.
(G2) two back, he was most recently a dead-heat fourth in the San Antonio H.
(G2). Note that the San Antonio runner-up is World Cup hopeful Well Armed (Tiznow).