Quijano: regular Dubai winner bids for Grade 1 Man o'War in New York
PICTURE: Dubai Racing ClubTop US turfers await Quijano in Man o'War
Preview: USA, Saturday 9.12pm BST (live on ATR)
Belmont Park: Man o'War Stakes (Grade 1) 1m3f, turf, 3yo+
GLOBE-TROTTING Quijano (Peter Schiergen/Andrasch Starke) bids to add an American Grade 1 to his cv on Saturday when he represents Europe in the Man o'War Stakes.
However, the German seven-year-old faces a stiff task against a handful of Grade 1 winners, headed by the up-and-coming pair Gio Ponti (Chris Clement/Ramon Dominguez) and former Amanda Perrett-trained Midships (Bobby Frankel/Victor Espinoza).
Gio Ponti, who has won three of his four starts at Belmont, breaks form the outside in a field of nine as he bids to complete a Grade 1 hat-trick following victories on both coasts.
"He's a good horse, very consistent," trainer Chris Clement told the Blood-Horse. "The distance is testing him a little bit, but if the ground stays firm, he should be bale to get it."
The distance poses no problems for Midships, who has won his last three since following the tried-and-tested Juddmonte route from Europe to California, Last time out he won the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial.
Canadian International winner Marsh Side and fellow Grade 1 scorers Grand Couturier and Dancing Forever also represent the home team, but Quijano comes here on the back of his latest Group 1 victory, having last month won the Gran Premio di Milano.
Chinchon (Carlos Laffon-Parias/Rajiv Maragh) travels to New York from France.
Man o'War Stakes
Coral: 7-2 Gio Ponti, 9-2 Midships, 5 Grand Couturier, Marsh Side, 11-2 Dancing Forever, 6 Quijano, 9 Chinchon, 20 Musketier, 40 Interpatation
Also on Saturday
Calder: Smile Sprint Hcap (Grade 2) 6f, dirt, 3yo+ (9.55pm BST)
Sprint champion Benny The Bull (Rick Dutrow/Edgar Prado), on hissecond start after retirement plans were aborted, bids to complete back-to-back successes in this $350,000 event, where he gives weight to some speedy rivals including last year's runner-up How's Your Halo.
Calder: Princess Rooney Hcap (Grade 1) 6f, dirt, 3yo+ f/m (9.26pm BST)
In the absence of Indian Blessing, who did not travel from California, multiple graded scorer Game Face (Todd Pletcher/Edgar Prado) will be looking for her first victory at the top level in a weakish contest.
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