Dubai Golden Shaheen invite a 'big opportunity' for Killybegs Captain
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Curragh Stables' Killybegs Captain will look to parlay an impressive Pelican Stakes win on February 15 at Tampa Bay Downs into a step up in class.
Trainer John Terranova said the 6-year-old son of Mizzen Mast earned an invitation to the Group 1, $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 28 at Meydan.
After making his first 26 starts in the United States, the Kentucky-bred winner of three stakes will race outside the country for the first time, traveling more than 7,000 miles to take part of the Dubai World Cup meeting that will run six Group 1 contests and three Groups 2s, led by the $12 million main event.
The Golden Shaheen is contested at 1,200 meters (nearly six furlongs) and was won in 2019 by X Y Jet, with Mind Your Biscuits capturing the 2017 and 2018 editions.
Killybegs Captain enters after earning a 98 Beyer for repeating as the Pelican winner at six furlongs last month in his first start of the year. As a 5-year-old, he finished third in the Forego (G1) on Travers day at Saratoga before winning the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) in September at Laurel Park.
Since the start of the year, Killybegs Captain has been training in Florida. He continued a string of strong works on Sunday, breezing four furlongs in 47.20 seconds.
"He's doing great and in this point in his career, he looks to be in as good as form as he's ever been, or better," Terranova said. "Everything went very well (Sunday). He looks great out of the Pelican. We were very impressed with that effort and he's come back sensational since. He's training forward and after being invited to the Golden Shaheen, it's more than likely what we are going to be doing.
"This is a big opportunity for him and everybody. The horse seems to be doing great at the right time," Terranova added. "After seeing the results from (Saturday) in Saudi and the likely group that he'll be running against, he absolutely fits well. As good as he's come back this year and continues to go forward, I think he's in top form and ready to take on a race like this. We'll see. It's a big deal and we're excited."
Terranova said he is hopeful Killybegs Captain remains a regular on the NYRA circuit following his Dubai sojourn. In 2019, he ran third in the John A. Nerud (G2) at Belmont, posting a career-high 99 Beyer, before his Saratoga appearances that also included a competitive fourth in the Tale of the Cat before earning black type in the Forego.
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