Platinum Warrior

Platinum Warrior to Stretch out in Dubai World Cup

John Sadler does not ship from Southern California often, but when he does, he can be quite a force with which to reckon. Fresh off a brilliant 2018 in which his Accelerate  was an absolute star, including a victory in the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), he looks to add some gloss to his 2019 season when returning to Dubai for the first time in a decade.


The horse who brings him back is Platinum Warrior, who has quickly taken to Sadler's program, including a smart victory last out in the San Marcos (G2T) at 1 1/4 miles Feb. 9 on Santa Anita Park's turf course. The effort was his fourth for Sadler, 12th overall and fifth since coming to the U.S. Previously, he was based in Ireland with Mick Halford.

"It's been a while, but I think this horse will run well," Sadler said of his return to Dubai. "It was Nad Al Sheba the last time I was there and this will be my first runner at Meydan."

Sadler has entered Yuesheng Zhang's Platinum Warrior in the about two-mile (3,200-meter) Dubai Gold Cup (G1), a marathon American-trained horses rarely try.

"We got him in the summer and he looks like a real stayer," Sadler said. "He won at a mile-and-a-quarter in the grade 2 and I think he has a lot more there. He's already won well in Europe as a 3-year-old and just took a bit of time once he got here.

"He ran off the plane when fourth in the Secretariat Stakes (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse and was unlucky not to be third that day," Sadler continued. "He shipped to California and was unlucky again in a couple races and then ran really well. We saw that he's a very good horse."


The 4-year-old son of Galileo will try to overcome this big step up in trip, but in his favor he does have a barn behind him with success in the region. Sadler has only had two starters in Dubai, but won with his first when landing the 2004 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) with Our New Recruit. He was also eighth in the 2009 edition of said event with Machismo.