D Wayne Lukas trained-Bravazo Pointing Towards Gr.1 Dubai World Cup
Racing icon D Wayne Lukas at 83 plans to once again break new ground by competing at Meydan for the first time with current stable flagbearer Bravazo.
Lukas has also shaped the careers some of the country’s finest trainers with former assistants including Todd Pletcher, Dallas Stewart, Mark Hennig, George Weaver and former leading UAE trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, among others.
The Gr.2 Risen Star Stakes winner contested all three Triple Crown races, including a runner-up finish in the Gr.1 Preakness Stakes as a 3-year-old. Since then he has placed in four Grade 1 races since then. He will be contesting the US$12m Gr.1 Dubai World Cup going up again Godolphin owned 2018 winner, Thunder Snow.
“We’re going to get maybe four more works between now and then, so we just wanted him to stretch his legs again,” Lukas said.
“I’ve talked to Bob Baffert and a couple of people who have been over there and they said, ‘You need to go, you need to go and you’ll enjoy it,’ But I never had any strong feeling about it. In this particular case, Calumet’s Brad Kelley is real adamant about (how) we need to try this. Go over there and try it.” concluded the conditioner.
Bravazo returned to his Oaklawn base on Jan. 28, two days after finishing fourth in the Gr.1 Pegasus. Lukas said Bravazo will ship to the UAE on Mar. 18.
Credit: Curated from press release issued by Dubai Racing Club