Giant Ryan posts half-mile breeze for Golden Shaheen

by Brisnet.com

Grade 1 winner Giant Ryan had his final workout Saturday morning in

preparation for the Group 1, $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, covering a

half-mile on the fast track at Calder in :47 3/5 in advance of his seasonal

debut under the lights at Meydan Racecourse on March 31.

"He was almost going too fast today," owner Shivananda Parboo said following

the work. "The rider (jockey Willie Martinez) had to slow him down a little the

last quarter to keep him from going even quicker. But he's doing really well,

and he's ready. He showed us that today, and he showed us that with his last

work when he went :48 from the gate."

After rolling through six straight wins last year, including graded victories

in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap and Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational, Giant

Ryan was sent to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, where he

contested the early pace before backing up in the final furlong to finish

eighth.

"We scoped him after the Breeders' Cup and he was found to have a respiratory

infection," Parboo explained. "Imagine trying to run a race like that, against

the world's best sprinters, with an infection. The vet in Kentucky told us that

we were lucky the horse ran as well as he did for five-eighths that day. Most

horses wouldn't have run at all."

Giant Ryan returned to Calder following the Breeders' Cup and took several

weeks off before being eased back into training this year, posting his first

listed workout in early February. With any ill affects of the respiratory

infection cleared up, and the horse working well, Parboo set his sights on the

Golden Shaheen.

"This race was something we always had in the back of our minds; it was

always something we thought about," Parboo said. "What was interesting was the

process; it was a little different than we were used to. First, we nominated the

horse. And then we had to wait to hear back from the people in Dubai to see if

we had been accepted. At the same time, we had to have another plan in case we

didn't get in the race, so were getting him ready for the race in New York

(Grade 3 Tom Fool on March 3).

"On the very night we were ready to put him on a 3 a.m. van to go north, we

got a call at 9 p.m. from the people in Dubai telling us he was invited to the

race. I immediately canceled everything; canceled the van, told all my help to

go home. We didn't need to run up there to show he was ready. We could just

train up to the (Dubai) race."

With Giant Ryan's final real piece of training completed on Saturday morning,

Parboo could turn his attention to the next concern as he prepares the

six-year-old son of Freud for his Tuesday flight to Dubai.

"My horse travels well, but we've always traveled by van," Parboo remarked.

"I never liked the idea of flying him, so I'm a little concerned how he'll take

to air travel. His groom isn't allowed on the plane, the Emirates people take

care of everything, so I just want him to relax and handle the whole experience.

That's the one thing I'm a little nervous about."

Regardless of the outcome at Meydan, Giant Ryan has provided Parboo with an

experience he isn't likely to forget.

"When it comes to how it feels to have a horse like this, the words are

there, but you just don't know how to express them," Parboo said. "First it was

the Breeders' Cup; now Dubai. And when we get back on April 1, the very next day

we are going to be up in New York for the New York-bred Awards Banquet where

Giant Ryan is nominated for best sprinter and best older horse; he could even

end up winning New York-bred Horse of the Year. Unbelievable."

Giant Ryan isn't the only star in Parboo's barn, though. Trinniberg came back

from his six-length romp in the recent Grade 3 Swale in fine form and Parboo has

a few races picked out for the son of Teuflesberg, which could lead to a Triple

Crown appearance.

"We're looking at either the (Grade 3) Bay Shore (going seven furlongs at

Aqueduct on April 7) or the (Grade 2) Jerome (going a mile Aqueduct on April 21)

for Trinniberg," the owner said. "And then who knows, if he runs like we know he

can, maybe we'll take a look at a race like the Derby or Preakness and see how

far he can stretch his speed."