Mind Your Biscuits’ connections in the Santa Anita Park winner’s circle following the Malibu Stakes.
The New-York-bred star has found himself very far from home, but Mind Your Biscuits is right where he belongs, competing with the best the world has to offer in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI). The colt was joined on his journey to Dubai by fellow American sprinters Stallwalkin’ Dude and St Joe Bay.
Owned by J Stables LLC, Head of Plains Partners and Chad Summers, who also trains the colt, Mind Your Biscuits has been a model of consistency since winning an allowance race at Belmont Park last July. He followed that up with a win in the Amsterdam Stakes (GII), a fifth in the King’s Bishop Stakes (GI), and runner-up performances in the Gallant Bob Stakes (GII) and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI). The son of Posse scored his first victory at the top level in the Malibu Stakes (GI) to close out his 3-year-old season.
Mind Your Biscuits comes into the race off of a runner-up finish — by just a neck — to Unified in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (GIII) in his first start for Summers (Robert Falcone, Jr. was the trainer of record in 2016).
Al Tamira Racing Stable and David A. Bernsen’s St Joe Bay has blossomed since trainer Peter Miller refocused the 5-year-old gelding on one-turn races. The Florida-bred son of Saint Anddan has quickly established himself as one of the top sprinters on the Southern California circuit with wins in the Midnight Lute Stakes (GIII) and the Palos Verdes Stakes (GII). The Golden Shaheen will be his first venture outside of California since 2015, and his first crack at Grade/Group 1 company.
Trainer David Jacobson also owns Stallwalkin’ Dude in partnership with Head of Plains Partners LLC, a partnership that has led the team to Dubai with their long-winded 7-year-old gelding. The son of City Place will be making his 51st start in the Golden Shaheen and has not been out of the money since July of last year. The eight-race span has included wins in the Tale of the Cat Stakes, the Bold Ruler Handicap (GIII), and the Gravesend Stakes. Though the race is filled with speed, the speed-favoring surface at Meydan could hinder his chances in Saturday’s race.
Reynaldothewizard has been a stalwart on the Middle Eastern circuit ever since arriving in Dubai for owners Zabeel Racing International Corp. and trainer Satish Seemar in 2010. The 11-year-old began his career in the U.S. running behind the likes of Pioneerof the Nile, Square Eddie, and Run Away and Hide. A ten-time winner over the Meydan surface, the son of Speightstown was victorious in the 2013 Golden Shaheen and began this season with a win in the Dubawi Stakes on Jan. 12. While the sands of time may not quite have caught up with “Reynaldo” (as the locals call him), the sprinters these days may be a bit quicker than he.
Last year’s Golden Shaheen winner Muarrab, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and trained by Maria Ritchie will be looking to turn things around after a disappointing start to his season. After three second-place finishes to start out the 2016-2017 Meydan season, the 8-year-old was a dull sixth in his final World Cup Night prep. A son of Oasis Dream, Muarrab has drawn favorably in post position 6.
Grade 1 winner and former California resident Wild Dude, Grade 2 winners Dundonnell and Not Listenin’tome, Grade 3 winners Cool Cowboy, Morawij and My Catch, along with Comicas, High on Life and Dios Corrida round out the field.
Carded as the sixth race on the program, the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen has an approximate post time of 10:35 am ET.
