Imperial Hint 'ready to launch' in Tampa Bay Downs' Pelican Stakes

Five rivals have entered to take on Imperial Hint, a two-time Eclipse Award finalist in the Male Sprinter category, in Saturday’s $100,000 Pelican Stakes for horses 4-years-old-and-upward going six furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs.

Trainer Luis Carvajal, Jr., confirmed he plans to use the Pelican as a prep race for the $2.5-million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on March 30 at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. If all goes well, Imperial Hint would leave for Dubai on March 19.

Antonio Gallardo, who has ridden the horse in his workouts since Imperial Hint returned to training in January following a third-place finish in the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint, has the assignment for the Pelican.

Gallardo is 2-for-4 aboard Imperial Hint, including a dominating victory three years ago here in the Florida Cup Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore Stakes.

The 6-year-old Florida-bred, who is 12-for-19 lifetime with career earnings of $1,582,655, won the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) on July 28 at Saratoga in 1:08.98 at the distance. In his next start, the Vosburgh (G1) at Belmont on Sept. 29, the Florida-bred son of Imperialism blazed home first in 1:08.27.

Raymond Mamone owns Imperial Hint.

“All systems are ready to launch,” said Carvajal, who sent Imperial Hint out Saturday to breeze 4 furlongs in 47 1/5 seconds. “We only gave him about two weeks off after the Breeders’ Cup, so the first time he worked here he was already fit and he worked fantastic.

"We wanted to keep him healthy and happy, and hopefully this race will help tighten him up for Dubai."

In the Dubai Golden Shaheen, Imperial Hint could face last year’s Pelican winner, X Y Jet, who finished second in both the 2018 and 2016 Golden Shaheen and won an allowance/optional claiming race Wednesday at Gulfstream. The headliner will be Roy H, who has won the last two Breeders’ Cup Sprint renewals and finished third in last year’s Golden Shaheen.

“Whenever you have a horse like this, you always want to run against the best,” Carvajal said. “At the same time, trainers with an eye on another race try to do what is best for the horse right now. We would love to run against those top horses (Saturday), but do you really want to go against the heavy heads when the Super Bowl is the next game?

“I always try to run my horses at 100 percent, and he is fit and ready to go. He likes this track, he’s been training well and he has a jockey he knows. Horses love to win and when they win they get more confident, and you’d like an easy spot for your horse when you know the next time they run it’s the best against the best.”

Among those horses seeking to build their confidence in the Pelican at Imperial Hint’s expense is supplemental entry Tricks to Doo, owned by Lael Stables and trained by Arnaud Delacour. The 4-year-old colt won last season’s Inaugural Stakes as a 2-year-old and returned after a layoff of more than eight months to finish second in the Turf Dash on Dec. 1.

Tricks to Doo, who won a 5-furlong allowance/optional claiming event on the turf in his most recent start on Jan. 12, will be ridden by Declan Cannon.

Imperial Hint will break from the outside No. 6 post position, while Tricks to Doo drew the No. 3 post. Other Pelican entrants are Sweetontheladies, Hollis, Old Time Revival and Killybegs Captain.

Imperial Hint has been assigned top weight of 124 pounds, giving between 4-6 pounds to the others.