Dubai-bound contenders work in Florida

Brass Hat has already captured the Donn H. and New Orleans H. this year  (Eleanor Gustafson/Horsephotos.com)

Five leading American hopefuls for the March 25 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1)

program turned in their final workouts in Florida on Monday. The workers --

World Cup contender BRASS HAT (Prized), Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) prospects

RELAXED GESTURE (Ire) (Indian Ridge) and MUSTANFAR (Unbridled), Golden Shaheen

(UAE-G1) candidate GAFF (Maria's Mon), and UAE Derby (G2) prospect INVASOR (Arg)

(Candy Stripes) -- are scheduled to set off on their travels to Dubai on

Tuesday.

Brass Hat, exiting an impressive score in the Donn H. (G1), strode a

leisurely half-mile in :50 4/5 on a fast track at Gulfstream Park.

"We just wanted to give him something easy -- a chance to stretch his legs

before he gets on the plane tomorrow night," trainer William "Buff" Bradley

said. "He's not much of a work horse anyway."

Relaxed Gesture, unraced since his 4 1/2-length victory in the Canadian

International S. (G1) at Woodbine last October, traveled five furlongs in 1:04 on Payson

Park's fast dirt for conditioner Christophe Clement.

Multiple Grade 3 winner Mustanfar went his five-eighths in 1:03 at Palm

Meadows. The royally bred Kiaran McLaughlin charge was most recently fourth in

the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Turf S. (G1), his comeback after an

eight-month layoff.

Also for McLaughlin, Uruguayan Triple Crown winner Invasor clocked 1:02 for

the same distance. As a Southern Hemisphere-bred, the four-year-old is eligible

for the UAE Derby along with Northern Hemisphere-bred sophomores.