Illness delays Dublin's return

Dublin will miss a few weeks of training due to a recent illness, and the development will push his seasonal debut back to at least April, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. The goal for Dublin’s return is the Grade 2, $350,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 9.

“At this point, that’s what we’re targeting,” Lukas said Friday.

Dublin, who won the Grade 1 Hopeful in 2009, had been training right along for his first start since finishing fifth in last year’s Preakness. He was on schedule to return to action at Oaklawn in the middle of March, Lukas said.

“We were going in great shape,” he said. “We were actually looking at the Razorback, but he got a bout of colitis. It only lasted a couple of days, but it set us back and I’m going to give him two weeks off. So, I’m going to be set back. Now, we’re pushing all the way to the handicap.”