Mystic Guide works for Dubai

Mystic Guide completed his major preparation for the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 27 at Meydan Racecourse with a five-furlong breeze early Friday morning at Fair Grounds, a work trainer Mike Stidham called “a beautiful move.”

Working solo, breaking off at the half-mile pole and timed to the seven-furlong marker, Mystic Guide clocked 1:00.20 with a strong gallop-out. The work was his first since winning the Feb. 27 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park by six lengths, the performance that punched Mystic Guide’s ticket to Dubai. Owing to the relatively short gap between starts, Friday’s breeze will be Mystic Guide’s only major work toward the World Cup, though he could well have a blowout at Meydan the week of the race.

“We’ll just see how he ships and decide if we do a little something over there, but even if we do, it won’t be a lot,” said Stidham, who trains Mystic Guide for Godolphin, the 4-year-old colt’s breeder.

Making his 4-year-old debut in the Razorback, Mystic Guide got a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure, but running fast off the shelf does not seem to have led to any visible regression.

“His energy level is as good as I’ve ever seen it, and his willingness in his work this morning was excellent. If anything, he seems to be doing even better now,” said Stidham.

Mystic Guide is the World Cup favorite in overseas antepost wagering. The World Cup earlier this week lost Tacitus to an apparently minor injury, but Sleepy Eyes Todd – who has been in Dubai for a few weeks – Jesus’ Team, and Title Ready are expected to join Mystic Guide as U.S.-based World Cup starers. The flight carrying all the American horses intended for Dubai races departs from Florida on March 17.

Oak Hill now a gelding

Without them for the first time in a race, Oak Hill might be the nuts in the featured ninth race Sunday at Fair Grounds.

Oak Hill, in his final start at age 3, raced keenly and faded late to finish 10th in the Dec. 26 Woodchopper Stakes. The decision was made thereafter to geld the horse, and he races for the first time Sunday following the ultimate equipment change.

“He’s a big son of a gun, a huge animal, and is not easy to train,” said trainer Al Stall Jr. “Actually, he hasn’t been that much easier to train since he was gelded; he’s still strong in the morning. I’m interested to see how that goes.”

Even so, gelding could really help Oak Hill, who has tried to get out in some of his races and succeeded at it in one of them last summer at Saratoga, blowing the far turn. In addition to his lightened hormonal load, Oak Hill gets a shorter distance here, cutting back from routes to this turf sprint open to second-level allowance horses or $40,000 claimers. “He hasn’t shown us some super finish going long, so this could help,” said Stall.

Star of Kodiak won a race at this class level and distance two starts back while racing under the claiming option. Sunday, he starts under his allowance condition, but that does not necessarily mean Star of Kodiak is sitting on a big race.

“He’s doing good but he’s a funny horse, just throws in clunkers sometimes for no rhyme or reason,” said trainer Chris Davis.

Obligatory to FG Oaks

Obligatory, the Juddmonte Farms homebred 3-year-old filly who looked very promising in a second-start, one-turn-mile maiden score Feb. 7 at Gulfstream, is a likely runner in the March 27 Fair Grounds Oaks, trainer Bill Mott confirmed Friday.

Obligatory, by Curlin out of Uno Duo, had an eventful trip in her maiden win but overcame all that was thrown at her to win by going away by 2 1/2 lengths while earning an 82 Beyer Speed Figure.