Grade I Winners Headline Dixie

A pair of Grade I winners loom large among the 10 older turfers entered in Saturday's historic GII Dixie S., which immediately precedes the GI Preakness S. World Approval (Northern Afleet) annexed Monmouth's GI United Nations S. last July before a close-up seventh as the favorite in the GI Arlington Million S. in August and front-running third in Woodbine's GI Northern Dancer S. in September. He faded to eighth after setting the pace against several foreign raiders in the GI Pattison Canadian International Oct. 16, but resurfaced to easily handle restricted stakes company as the 2-5 favorite in Tampa's EG Vodka Turf Classic S. Apr. 2. The grey Live Oak Plantation homebred was set to avenge a 2016 runner-up finish in Churchill's GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. two weeks ago, but was scratched from that spot when the turf came up soft.

“He kind of trained unremarkably coming into the Tampa race,” Norm Casse, assistant trainer to his father Mark, revealed to the Pimlico notes team. “We were looking for an easy race; it was the perfect spot for him. And then he ran back to his full potential. Since then he's been back working like the old World Approval. He probably even needed that race; it woke him up a little bit. Now we expect him to run even better this time.”

Ring Weekend (Tapit), who ran in the 2014 Preakness and took the 2015 GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile after reinventing himself as a turfer, was a neck second in last year's Dixie. He annexed September's GII Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga and the GII Seabiscuit H. at Del Mar in November and was most recently fourth in the Kilroe out at Santa Anita Mar. 11. His conditioner Graham Motion won this race in 2003 and 2006.

Trainer Chad Brown saddled Takeover Target (Harlan's Holiday) to a victory here 12 months ago, and has two chances to double up. Former France-based Juddmonte homebred Projected (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) settled for fourth in Gulfstream's GIII Canadian Turf S. while shaking off the cobwebs in his Stateside debut Mar. 4, and annexed a very salty Keeneland allowance by a nose Apr. 9. Runner-up Divisidero (Kitten's Joy) returned to defend his Woodford Reserve title next out, while third finisher Plevuen (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire})–already a Grade II winner–came back to take Churchill's Opening Verse S. Brown's other runner Catapult (Kitten's Joy) was second in the one-mile Danger's Hour S. over yielding Aqueduct sod Apr. 9.