After a fine Royal Ascot showing from Phoenix Thoroughbreds juvenile acquisitions Signora Cabello, who upset the June 20 Queen Mary (G2), and Advertise, runner-up in the June 19 Coventry (G2), the Dubai-based investment fund has now added Norfolk (G2) near-misser Pocket Dynamo to its roster.
Just denied by Wesley Ward’s Shang Shang Shang in the June 21 Norfolk, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Pocket Dynamo will point for that November 2 dash at Churchill Downs as part of “Future Stars Friday.”
“Pocket Dynamo showed brilliance when just missing by a nose in the five-furlong Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot,” Phoenix Thoroughbreds founder Amer Abdulaziz noted, “and we believe he will be perfectly suited to the new Breeders’ Cup race for two-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs. The colt will remain with his trainer, Robert Cowell, in England.”
Cowell, who purchased Pocket Dynamo for $35,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is mapping out a path to the Juvenile Turf Sprint. While the Dialed In colt is engaged in the August 24 Nunthorpe (G1) versus older horses during York’s Ebor Festival, he has options in his own age group.
“The Molecomb (G3) at Goodwood (August 1) is another race on the agenda and there is also the Prix Morny (G1) (at Deauville August 19),” Cowell said. “His race at Royal Ascot was the quickest of three two-year-old races over five furlongs, so we can take some credit in that fact.”
Pacesetting Shang Shang Shang lasted by a whisker from Pocket Dynamo in a final time of :59.83. Signora Cabello clocked 1:00.65 in the Queen Mary the day prior, while Soldier’s Call finished the June 23 Windsor Castle in 1:00.25.
“Wesley Ward’s horse is quite useful,” Cowell commented, “and we were giving her weight (three pounds), so I think we can be very excited about the future. (Pocket Dynamo) is in great form. He is just a ball of fun and he is bright and sparky every morning.”
Hitherto racing for Thomas W. Morley, Pocket Dynamo has made the exacta in all four starts. He was second in his April 24 unveiling at Brighton, promptly scored on May 3 over Chelmsford’s Polytrack, and held determinedly in a ParisLongchamp conditions event May 13.
Bred in Kentucky by Jocelyn Shutkas, Pocket Dynamo initially sold to EA Bloodstock for $20,000 as a Keeneland November weanling. He is the second registered foal, and first runner, from the winning Cuvee mare Little Bit Tiny, a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Blue Tone.
Pocket Dynamo is not the only prospect that Cowell has for Phoenix. He also trains the fund’s 160,000-guineas Tattersalls Craven breeze-up buy, a Kentucky-bred son of Munnings now named Favre. That continues Phoenix’s NFL theme represented by Gronkowski, second to Triple Crown winner Justify in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
Phoenix is courting an NBA theme with the $1.2 million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale topper by Medaglia d’Oro – Lebron J, whose deployment to Santa Anita has become entirely fitting. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Lebron J posted his second work Monday, negotiating three furlongs in :37.40.
