Having his final start for trainer Chad Brown, Economic Model (Flatter) looks to become the first US-based horse since Diamond Stripes (Notebook) fully a decade ago to win the G2 Godolphin Mile, the first of nine seven-furlong events on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan Racecourse.
A stakes winner and runner-up to champion Drefong (Gio Ponti) in the GI King's Bishop S. at three in 2016, the $150,000 Keeneland September graduate snapped a seven-race losing streak with a one-mile allowance victory at Belmont Park last October and most recently resumed from a 4 1/2-month absence to defeat 'TDN Rising Star' Irish War Cry (Curlin) in the GIII Hal's Hope S. Feb. 24. Formerly owned by Klaravich Stable and William Lawrence, Economic Model has been purchased by Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid al Maktoum and will be transferred to trainer Nicholas Bachalard.
Trainer Doug Watson has unsaddled the Godolphin Mile winner in each of the last two years, including defending champion Second Summer (Summer Bird), and is represented by four runners this time around. American expat Kimbear (Temple City) looks the best of the quartet, having posted two wins and two seconds from four runs at the Carnival, capped by a game, 1 1/4-length defeat of Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the G3 Burj Nahaar S. on Super Saturday three weeks back.
Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) is the mount of Ryan Moore and goes out for trainer Sandeep Jadhav, who takes over from the suspended Salem bin Ghadayer. Winner of the Dubai Creek Mile just prior to the beginning of the Carnival, the 8-year-old powered home by nearly 10 front-running lengths in the G3 Firebreak S. Feb. 17, but was no better than fourth in the Burj Nahaar. He should be there or thereabouts early once again, but several other speeds could make things tough.
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