LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For a horse as fast as World of Trouble, early fractions of :23.07 and :46.08 posted by him in Friday’s $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) was practically sleepwalking. The heavy favorite thus obliged his legion of supporters at Churchill Downs and elsewhere, winning his third stakes of the season, and eighth in 12 career starts, with ease.
Trained by Jason Servis and ridden by Manny Franco. World Trouble strolled home a 3 3/4-length winner in a time of 1:03.97 for 5 1/2 furlongs on firm ground. He paid $2.60. Smart Remark, a 30-1 chance, edged Chaos Theory for second by a neck, with Undrafted a head farther back in fourth.
Owned by the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, World of Trouble preceded this victory with scores in the $150,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, followed by the Carter Handicap (G1) on dirt at Aqueduct. He was a four-time stakes winner last year, but ran perhaps his best race when a game neck second to Stormy Liberal in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in November.
“Turf, dirt, mud, everything it doesn’t matter to him,” Servis said. “Mr. Dubb says his speed numbers are better on turf. Next? Maybe the Jaipur (G1) or maybe the Vanderbilt (G1).”
World of Trouble will move on to his next start with earnings of $1,043,300 from a line of 12-8-2-1. Bred in Florida by Darsan Inc., World of Trouble is by Kantharos and out of Meets Expectations, a Valid Expectations half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Bucchero.
