Down the Shedrow with Kiaran McLaughlin

A graduate of the D. Wayne Lukas school of training, Kiaran McLaughlin has made quite a name for himself around the world since going out on his own in 1993 when he took a job as trainer for Dubai's Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum. He spent 10 years splitting his time between Dubai–where he was leading trainer three times–and New York before permanently setting in New York in 2003 and opening a public stable.

The 55-year-old has trained the likes of Eclipse finalist Henny Hughes, GI Belmont S. winner Jazil and MGISW fillies Questing (GB) and Wedding Toast, but his most accomplished pupil was Hall of Famer Invasor (Arg). Shadwell Stable's 2006 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male captured six straight races at the highest level under McLaughlin's care, including the 2006 GI Breeders' Cup Classic and 2007 G1 Dubai World Cup.

The one race which has eluded McLaughlin, who was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, is the GI Kentucky Derby. He hopes another Shadwell runner will change that this year when Mohaymen (Tapit) takes his spot in the gate May 7. In addition to the excitement that comes with having a Derby contender, the conditioner also has several of his other top runners gearing up for returns after trips to Dubai, including GISW Frosted (Tapit) and “TDN Rising Stars” Lady Shipman (Midshipman) and Marking (Bernardini).

“All of them really shipped well back,” McLaughlin commented. “They are all working Friday [except Lady Shipman, who runs Sunday]. We just don't have a spot yet for Frosted or Marking, or they all could have already been working and maybe even running. Years ago when we went with Invasor, we came back and ran him in the [GI] Pimlico Special. That was only six weeks and we won the Pimlico Special. The world is getting smaller, so when we take the horses over there and come back it's not such a big deal.”

MOHAYMEN (c, 3, Tapit)

Out of MGSW Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union) and a half-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner New Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}), Mohaymen was the co-topper at the 2014 Keeneland September sale when selling to Shadwell Stable for $2.2 million. The gray lived up to his pedigree and price tag right from the start, following a debut win at Belmont last September with victories in the GII Nashua S., GII Remsen S., GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S. and GII Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth S. He suffered his first defeat last time at the hooves of undefeated champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo), when a disappointing fourth as the favorite in the GI Xpressbet.com Florida Derby Apr. 2. The sophomore has been doing very well since, however, most recently breezing a best-of-27 half-mile in :46.80 at Churchill Downs Apr. 20.

“He worked great. He worked a little faster than normal, but I loved the way he did it and he galloped out strong. He seems to like the track, so all systems are go. We hope to work Friday morning. We have rain right now, but we were able to gallop this morning, so we are probably going to work Friday morning.

“We are going to draw a line through [the Florida Derby]. He's had two bad minutes in his whole life and it happened to be Florida Derby day. He's a special colt and does everything right.”

FROSTED (c, 4, Tapit)

An impressive winner of last term's GI Wood Memorial, Frosted finished a respectable fourth to American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in the Kentucky Derby and was second behind the Horse of the Year in the GI Belmont S. Runner-up to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the GII Jim Dandy S., the Godolphin homebred pressed the Triple Crown winner every step of the way in the GI Travers S. before fading to third and rebounded to win the GII Pennsylvania Derby. Off the board in the Breeders' Cup Classic, the gray made his seasonal debut in Dubai, posting an impressive victory in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 Feb. 4 before finishing fifth behind 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) after a wide trip in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26.

“He ran very well [in Dubai]. He ran the furthest in the race and was just wide throughout. California Chrome just ran a huge race. We felt like we were second best and just finished fifth, but he did run a good race.

“He's doing great. He's scheduled to work Friday at Belmont. We are going to let him tell us what he is doing and look at the big races in June and July. It could be the [GI] Met Mile [June 11], the [GII] Suburban [H. July 9], or both.”

LADY SHIPMAN (f, 4, Midshipman)

Randall Lowe homebred Lady Shipman won eight of her 12 starts last term–six of those wins coming in stakes–and ran a very close second in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint for previous trainer Kathleen O'Connell. Transferred to McLaughlin with a goal of running on Dubai, the “TDN Rising Star” won her debut this outfit in Gulfstream's Ladies' Turf Sprint S., but failed to factor when seventh in Meydan's G1 Al Quoz Sprint S. Mar. 26. The chestnut has worked twice since returning to Belmont, most recently breezing a half-mile over the training track in :49.11 Apr. 24, and is scheduled to run in Belmont's License Fee S. Sunday.

“She's doing great, looks great. She's happy. Six furlongs may not be her best trip, but she's fine at six furlongs. It's a nice new turf course, as long as it stays on the turf. She's ready to go.

“There is not a lot of big races for her, but where there are, we will nominate and take a look. She will probably do something similar to what she did last year.”

MARKING (c, 4, Bernardini)

Tabbed a “TDN Rising Star” after an impressive debut victory at Belmont Sept. 23, Marking followed suit with a dominant allowance win at Aqueduct Nov. 4 and was second behind champion Runhappy (Super Saver) in Santa Anita's GI Malibu S. Dec. 26. Dumping his rider at the start of Meydan's G3 Al Shindagha Sprint Feb. 11, the Godolphin homebred returned two weeks later to score a decisive victory in that venue's Al Naboodah National Plant Trophy and was fourth on DWC night in the G2 Godolphin Mile Mar. 26.

“Marking is pointing towards the Met Mile. He is doing very well and will work Friday.”

MUBTAAHIJ (IRE) (c, 4, Dubawi {Ire})

Previously campaigned by Mike de Kock, Mubtaahij is a new addition to the McLaughlin barn, but has raced in America before. An ultra-impressive winner of last year's G2 UAE Derby, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum runner finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby and stuck around for the Belmont, where he finished a close fourth. Returned to Dubai and given the rest of the season off, the bay finished fifth in his seasonal bow in Meydan's G3 Firebreak S. Feb. 4 and was fourth next out in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 Mar. 5. Mubtaahij surprised many when sneaking up the rail to finish a solid second behind a dominant California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup.

“Mubtaahij is coming from Dubai this week and will come to our barn probably on Sunday. He's coming up Friday and should be out of quarantine on Sunday. He will be on a similar path to Frosted, probably not the Met Mile, but the Suburban July 9 going a mile and quarter at Belmont.

“I think he ran very well [in the Dubai World Cup] and had a great trip up the rail to be second. It will be hard to improve on that, but we hope to just keep him the same, earn some money and win a big race somewhere. He ran a huge race [in Dubai]. He will point for the [GI] Woodward, the [GI] Whitney, the Breeders' Cup and then he will go back to Mike de Kock in Dubai sometime in November to get ready for the festival.”

CAVORTING (f, 4, Bernardini)

Stonestreet Stables' Cavorting rattled off three straight wins last summer in Belmont's Jersey Girl S. and Saratoga's GI Longines Test S. and GII Prioress S. Fourth as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint Oct. 31, the “TDN Rising Star” checked in third in the GI La Brea S. Dec. 26 in Arcadia and was most recently second in Aqueduct's GII Distaff H. Apr. 17.

“It was a very nice filly [Paulassilverlining] that won [the Distaff]. She's very fast on figures. We broke sharp and then tried to settle, and then squeeze through the rail. Most of Cavorting's wins came out in the middle of the track in other races. She was second best on the day. She is going to work Friday and we are looking possibly at the [one-mile GII] Ruffian [S. May 14] to try and stretch her out a little bit.”

PENWITH (m, 5, Bernardini)

Penwith, who also carries the Godolphin blue, kicked off this term with an allowance win at Gulfstream Jan. 21 and followed suit with a win in that venue's GII Royal Delta S. Feb. 13. The bay was last seen finishing fourth in the GI Santa Margarita S. Mar. 19.

“She is going to run on the [GI] La Troienne [S.] on [GI Kentucky] Oaks day [May 6]. She ran disappointing in California. She was on the lead when she was never really on the lead, so we are going to adjust a few things and hope that we have a chance to win, although it's a tough race.”

KAREENA (f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro)

Godolphin's Kareena, a $400,000 FTSAUG buy, was a game second behind subsequent GIII Adena Springs Beaumont S. winner Lightstream (Harlan's Holiday) in her career bow at Gulfstream Mar. 6, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The regally-bred bay made good on that initial promise with a five-length romp to earn her diploma and “TDN Rising Star” status next out at Keeneland Apr. 16.

“She came out of the race great. We will probably look at the Jersey Girl [S.] on Belmont day [June 11] and from there probably the [GIII] Victory Ride [S. July 9] and/or the [GI] Test [Aug. 6], similar to what we did with Cavorting last year. She is a very talented filly.”

JESS'S DREAM (c, 4, Curlin)

Jess's Dream, the first foal out of recently inducted Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, was tabbed a “TDN Rising Star” after an ultra-impressive last-to-first victory in his nine-furlong Saratoga unveiling Aug. 24. After spending the winter at his owner's Stonestreet Training Center, the homebred has worked twice at his trainer's Belmont base, most recently covering a half-mile in :50.93 Apr. 19.

“He's working at Belmont, so he will continue to work weekly and we will find a non-winners of two for him at some point.”

ANNUAL REPORT (c, 3, Harlan's Holiday)

Purchased by Godolphin for $600,000 at the Fasig-Tipton March 2-year-olds in training sale last term, Annual Report captured his Parx debut Sept. 20, just one day after stablemate Frosted's win in the Pennsylvania Derby. Victorious in Belmont's GII Futurity S. Oct. 17, the bay has not been seen since finishing fifth in Churchill's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 28.

“He went home with a small chip [after the Kentucky Jockey Club]. He's with Johnny Burke at Keeneland and we will look for him in the next month or so to come back in an allowance.”

SENTIERO ITALIA (f, 4, Medaglia d'Oro)

Scoring back-to-back victories in Saratoga's GII Lake Placid S. Aug. 14 and Belmont's GII Sands Point S. last summer, Sentiero Italia finished third as the favorite next out in Keeneland's GI QEII Challenge Cup Oct. 10. The Godolphin homebred has not been seen since finishing fourth in Lexington three weeks later in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf.

“She's with Johnny Burke at Keeneland also and will be heading to Greentree in the next 60 days. It might be 10 days, it might be 40 days. I'm not sure exactly.”

TAKREES (f, 3, Daaher)

A third-out graduate at Aqueduct Feb. 7, Shadwell homebred Takrees was second next out in an optional claimer there Mar. 10 before completing the exacta again in that venue's Cicada S. Mar. 26.

“We have entered the past two days, but the allowance race has not filled. We are just going to keep entering and run in an allowance race soon, but she is doing great. Hopefully she is that type too [that can step up to graded stakes].”

INDULGENT (f, 3, Bernardini)

Godolphin hopes to have another talented runner on their hands in Indulgent, a half-sister to Frosted who has yet to race. The dark bay has been working steadily at McLaughlin's winter base at Palm Meadows, most recently breezing a sharp three furlongs from the gate in :36.40 Apr. 21.

“We have a 3-year-old filly that we like when we get her there, named Indulgent. She's Frosted's little sister and she's really close to running.”