Racing’s enduring appeal is that there is always something to look forward to and fresh from his disappointment with Frosted in the Dubai World Cup Kiaran McLaughlin is to give Mohaymen the biggest test of his career in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
Mohaymen, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, is unbeaten in his five starts and is widely regarded as the favourite for next month’s Kentucky Derby.
Five weeks out from Churchill Downs he comes up against eight rivals in the Grade 1 event including Nyquist, last season’s champion two-year-old colt in the United States and the winner of three Grade 1 races.
It is the manner of Mohaymen’s double of Group 2 victories at Gulfstream Park this season under Junior Alvarado that make him the favourite to land his first win at the highest level. Both wins have been achieved through push-button acceleration and already the significant achievements of Frosted, who like Mohaymen and UAE Derby winner Lani is a grey son of Tapit, are cast to the back of McLaughlin’s memory.
“Mohaymen has a great mind,” McLaughlin said by teleconference. “He’s a real gentleman to be around. Nothing seems to bother him, and he’s a beautiful mover. He seems to do things effortlessly, so he’s the best three year old to date that I’ve ever had and he just is a special horse.
“Tapit is an unbelievable sire. We’ve been lucky to have several, maybe five or six Grade 1 and Grade 2 winners by him, and this horse is just a very nice horse out of a mare that I trained, Justwhistledixie, so it’s really neat to have an outstanding Tapit in the barn.”
• In photos: California Chrome, Keen Ice and more train at Meydan
In recent times horses successful in the Kentucky Derby have generally undergone two prep races before they hit their straps in the Run For The Roses. Despite the Derby looming on May 7, McLaughlin is adamant that Mohaymen is 100 per cent for the 1,800-metre test.
“We haven’t gotten to the bottom of him yet, for sure,” the trainer added.
“We want to go and win the race and we will, if we have to empty him out on Saturday, no problem. It’s a Grade 1 and we need to try and win and do all we can do to win it and I’ll revive him over the next five weeks.”
McLaughlin, who has had to live with multiple sclerosis for 18 years, flew back from Dubai hours after Frosted finished fifth to California Chrome in the World Cup last Saturday. It is a punishing schedule for the 60-year-old American, but one that he is comfortable with when his barn is filled with potential champions.
The Florida Derby, which boasts a US$1 million (Dh3.6m) purse, carries 170 points towards Kentucky Derby qualification, with 100 of those going to the winner. Lani, who picked up 100 points at Meydan on Saturday, left Dubai on Thursday to travel to Chicago.
Frosted also left Dubai on Thursday and will arrive at Belmont by Sunday.
“We weren’t good enough to beat California Chrome on the day and we don’t have any plans for him at this time,” he said.
“Obviously we might look at the Suburban [Handicap at Belmont] in first week in July but we’ll have to see.”
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