Classy sprinter Rogue Lightning is set for a first United States assignment in the wake of his overseas success in the Wathnan Racing colors in Qatar last month.
The 5-year-old son of Kodiac was a breakthrough first winner for the Qatari operation in the international races at the Emir’s Trophy meeting when landing the Dukhan Sprint, a local group 3, from fellow British runners Washington Heights and Quinault.
Trainer Tom Clover’s speedster can be marked up on that having had to come from widest of all in stall 9 under Mickael Barzalona to score comfortably by a length at Al Uqda Racecourse.
The success over six furlongs was the first for Roque Lightning since he changed hands for £1 million (approx. US$1.2 million) at the Goffs QIPCO Ascot Champions Day Sale in 2023.
Rogue Lightning in the ring at the 2023 Goffs QIPCO Champions Day Sale
The gelding was invited to the Al Quoz Sprint (G1T) on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan Racecourse April 5 but connections have decided on an alternative target on the same day.
Clover said: “The plan is to send Rogue Lightning to Keeneland next month where there is the grade 2 Shakertown Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, which should suit him going around a bend. It makes sense to move up in stages to grade 2 level rather than go straight to a grade or group 1 race.”
Clover, who rents his bottom yard out to Wathnan’s trainer Hamed Al Jehani, added: “Rogue Lightning showed he had no problems with traveling when winning in Qatar, which was a great day for the team.
“If all goes well at Keeneland, there is a grade 2 sprint (the Twin Spires Turf Sprint) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day we could look at but we’ll take it a step at a time.”
The Shakertown Stakes (G2T), which has a purse of US$400,000, usually attracts the cream of the U.S. sprinters and has been won by the likes of two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Golden Pal in recent years (2022). The Charlie Appleby-trained Mischief Magic , a winner of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T), finished runner-up in it a year ago.
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