MyRacehorse's Straight No Chaser proved himself to be not just the top dirt sprinter in America, but the top dirt sprinter in the world with his impressive 3 3/4-length victory in the $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia Feb. 22.
However, the 2024 Eclipse champion sprinter's journey in the Middle East is just beginning as he has settled into his new temporary home at the Meydan Racecourse quarantine barn in Dubai with a target painted on the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on Dubai World Cup night April 5.
Trainer Dan Blacker accompanied the 6-year-old son of Speightster to Dubai and is pleased with what he sees from the horse exiting his triumph.
"He just keeps surprising me," Blacker said. "He took the travel from (Los Angeles) to Saudi Arabia really well, all in stride. He ran his guts out on Saturday and then came out of the race great, shipped to Dubai. This morning we were looking at him, he's barely dropped any weight at all. It's pretty remarkable. He's such a resilient horse."
That resiliency has led to five victories in his last six starts, his only blemish when returning from a year-long layoff. Now that he has carried the best form of his career overseas, he is likely to be an overwhelming favorite come April 5.
Blacker said the six weeks between starts will be perfect for the horse to run his best in the Golden Shaheen. Departing for his Santa Anita Park base Feb. 26, Blacker leaves Straight No Chaser in the very capable hands of assistant Juan Landeros. Early planning calls for at least three recorded workouts ahead of the race, with a fourth pending if needed.
"I've always just let the horses tell me when they're ready to work and ready to run," Blacker said. "The good thing about Meydan is it's a very similar setup to an American racetrack system. To come here and have an oval dirt surface where we can train every day is a big advantage. For a horse like this to come here and compete on the dirt, it makes him very competitive on a global level."
A graduate of Godolphin's Flying Start program—a two-year management and leadership program aimed at shaping the future of the global Thoroughbred industry—victory in Dubai would be extra special for Blacker.
"I owe a lot to Sheikh Mohammed and the Godolphin Flying Start program, that's really how I got my career started. I wouldn't be where I am now if I hadn't had that opportunity," Blacker said. "To have a horse where I can travel to places like the Middle East and run, compete, and be one of the favorites in these big grade 1, multimillion dollar races is really one of the reasons why I started training. To live that and do it is a dream come true."
