As an experienced Group One winner overseas, trainer Katsuhiko Sumii is, primarily, concerned about one thing ahead of Dubai World Cup day. And it's not the competition his three horses will be facing, either. That is how Kane Hekili, his 4-year-old colt and last year's top Japanese dirt horse, and two others will settle into their desert surroundings for the March 25 event, the richest in the world.
"I think the most important thing is try to acclimatize them to the training they would go through in Dubai while they are here, at quarantine," Sumii said.
"We can't use everything that the training facility available at the Ritto Training Center, so making the adjustment will be key. That includes being able to handle the flight with stop overs, the quarantine here and there plus climate change into Summer."
The 41-year-old trainer won the American Oaks with Cesario and the Hong Kong Mile with Hat Trick last year. Along with Kane Hekili, the 2005 Japan Cup Dirt champion, Sumii is also taking Hat Trick and Flamme de Passion to the United Arab Emirates.
Double Group One winner Hat Trick is entered in the Dubai Duty Free, second leg of the Asian Mile Challenge. He will try for the rich bonus it has to offer for multi-challenge winner. Flamme de Passion is slated to run in the Group Two UAE Derby as the first ever Japanese horse to be crowned Derby title in UAE.
"They're all in very good form," Sumii said of his three entries. "Kane Hekili is recovering quickly (from his last run). Hat Trick didn't spend a lot of energy running in his last start, Nakayama Kinen (G2) over 1800m, race that didn't suit him, and was fine afterward.
"Flamme de Passion had an easy race in his preparatory race, Hyacnth Stakes over 1600m on dirt, which he won by 3 1/2 length, but because he's just three years old, he was a little worn out after the race. His workouts were light for a week, but on Sunday, he was pretty much back to normal.
"In the end, I think it will come down to how they handle the flight."
In his tune-up to the Dubai World Cup last month, Kane Hekili left no doubt about who the nation's fastest dirt runner is. He won the February Stakes, at Tokyo Racecourse over 1, 600 meters, by a cool three lengths, improving his dirt record to a near perfect sevens wins from eight starts.
Sumii thinks Kane Hekili will have no problem holding his own in a field that includes Electrocutionist, the American bred colt who shattered the Maktoum Challenge III at Nad Al Sheba by seven lengths earlier this month, and edged out 2004 horse of the year Zenno Rob Roy at the 2005 Juddmonte International at York.
Provided that Kane Hekili stays fit, that is.
"In the past, we had many problems with the travel. I think there have been only a few Japanese horses who were able to run a race abroad in proper physical condition," Sumii said.
"It's important to learn from these trips, to avoid making the same mistakes in the future, not just for ourselves but for all of Japanese racing. As long as they overcome the change in environment, I really believe there is not a huge gap between Japanese horses and those overseas.
"But you cannot ignore the difference in dirt type. Japanese dirt is sandy, where as the dirt in Dubai is much closer the American style dirt course, which I believe will requrie more speed than of that in Japan. Kane Hekili generates a lot of speed for a dirt horse, but he still has to make the adjustment."
Asked who the horse to beat would be, Sumii didn't hesitate: "Electrocutionist, who recently won in Dubai by seven lengths. He'll be tough, as well as a few others from America. It's hard to say who has the best shot, but you have to like a horse who has been in Dubai, and has had the result to show for it."
Unlike Kane Hekili, 5-year-old Hat Trick had a rough start to the season, coming in 11th among 12 in his tune-up on Feb. 26 at Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture. Sumii, though, has an explanation.
Not only was the 1, 800-meter Nakayama Kinen (G2) his first race of the year coming out from 2 1/2 month gap and trip from Hong Kong, the Sunday Silence closer had the heaviest load at 59 kilograms while running on near yielding conditions. Plus, the straight at Nakayama track is short; Hat Trick has had his best results on courses with a long home stretch.
Said Sumii: "I've always felt that Nakayama and Hanshin (Racecourse in Hyogo Prefecture) are the two worst courses for Hat Trick, and on top of that, he was carrying the most of any horse and the rain started pounding right before the race.
Jockey, "Olivier Peslier" told me it was over before he could do anything. He said the horse is capable of doing so much more, but needs a longer straight and a firm ground to stand a chance. He just doesn't handle the soft ground very well.
"Yes, he did have bit of a layoff, but we have to blame his poor performance on the unsuitable circumstances on the race day. Everything that could go wrong for him went wrong. But he is definitely on the rise having been out there once."
Like Sumii, trainer Hideyuki Mori will send three horses to the world's richest race meeting: Star King Man (Dubai World Cup), Agnes Jedi (Dubai Golden Shaheen) and Gaburin (UAE Derby).
Mori, who won such races as the July Cup (G1) in UK with Agnes World, the Prix Maurice de Gheest (G1) in France with Seeking the Pearl and the Japan Cup (G1) with Legacy World, is not what you would describe as nervous ahead of one of the biggest days in international racing.
"Horse racing is horse racing," said the 47-year-old Mori. "It doesn't matter where it is."
In his first start of the season, the February Stakes, 7-year-old Star King Man came in a disappointing 13th, despite finishing third behind Kane Hekili and Seeking the Dia in last year's Japan Cup Dirt with Kent Desormeaux in the saddle.
"He got off to a really bad start," Mori said of his horse. "He was stuck on the straight, and basically, he couldn't run up to potential. If he were even at least in midfield, he would have run a solid race. I'm not saying he would have won, but he would've placed much higher than where he did. But that's racing. You have to let it go."
Mori is partnering his horse with Kent Desormeaux once again, with the hope that the American rider can recreate the magic from the Japan Cup Dirt.
"Star King Man ran well under him in the Japan Cup Dirt," Mori said. "It's an international race so international combination may do us good once again."
"The distance won't be a problem for him at all. If anything, his last race wasn't long enough. For this horse, I think 2, 000 meters is ideal."
"I have confidence in my horse, but you look at the other horses and they're pretty tough."
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