World of Trouble gets his Grade 1 in Aqueduct's Carter

Denied by just a neck last year in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, World of Trouble returned to Grade 1 company one better on Saturday, stretching to seven furlongs and this time over the dirt, to take Aqueduct’s $400,000 Carter Handicap.

Under jockey Manny Franco, the 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Kantharos ranged three-wide off the turn and had enough in the tank to outlast Skyler’s Scramjet and Honor Up, who helped set a moderate pace and never gave in.

"That was good," trainer Jason Servis said after a neck win. "What can I say? Running son of a gun. He makes me look good."

Campaigned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables, World of Trouble moved his record to 3-for-3 since that Breeders’ Cup defeat, further proving he can run on just about any surface, and just about any distance so long as it's around one turn.

"If I had a mare, I would breed to him on the fact that he can turf and dirt," Servis said. "I think we might like to go back to the turf. That would add some flavor to him as a stallion, and then maybe back to the dirt, so let's see."

World of Trouble stalked the pace Saturday, following closely fractions of 23.61 and 46.71, before going on to complete 7/8 of a mile in 1:23.28.

Franco kept his mount in the clear -- maybe wider than expected up the back stretch, given Skyler's Scramjet bore outward -- throughout.

"He could have gone at any time," said the owner, Dubb, "but he was trying to leave 'some soap on the bar' so it was nice to pick up this graded stakes with him and we have a lot of options from here the rest of the year."

Behind the Top 3, Vino Rosso hit the wire fourth but galloped out impressively, suggesting the Wood Memorial (G2) winner will prefer to go longer next time.