Animal Kingdom works 6 furlongs ahead of his seasonal debut in the Tampa Bay Stakes
Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom has not turned in a work of 6 or above furlongs in almost a year, and the last time he was seen breaking that barrier was in early 2011, when he was new to his sophomore season and looking to make an impact in one
of the classic’s of the Triple Crown.
However, the beginning of the new campaign has seen the 4-year-old come back to his own self, as he turned in a work of six furlongs over the Palm Meadows Training Center turf course on 14 February, 2012. He downed the distance in 1 minute and 15 4/5 seconds.
Graham Motion trained colt will be using the Grade 3, $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes as a prep race for the Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup at the Meydan on 31 March, 2012. The race will be run over a distance of 1 ¼ mile over the venue’s synthetic surface,
and it has reeled in a strong field of 4-year-old and above horses.
The Kentucky bred, Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winning colt will go up against some serious American contenders at the Meydan, who have been re-surfaced as one of the best in their respective divisions last year, and in that intervening time, Animal Kingdom was
sidelined due to a leg injury he suffered in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes last year.
So, in many ways it will be a tough race for Animal Kingdom, whose last race of some substance was the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes back in June, 2011, and to come out against top runners under unfamiliar surroundings is asking too much of a horse, even of Animal
Kingdom’s status, to excel in.
Though the reports regarding the son of Leroidesanimaux’s workouts after coming out of a leg injury have been remarkable, and his connections feel that he is ready to go out there and face the music at the highest level.
The Tampa Bay Stakes is scheduled on 25 February, 2012, and it gives Animal Kingdom ample time to turn in one last work ahead of the race, which will be run over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on turf at Tampa Bay Downs.
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