The Belmont Stakes takes pride of place this weekend, but for Godolphin the reappearance of the stable's long-established duo, Frosted and Marking, in G1 Met Mile is the highlight.
The running of the G1 Belmont Stakes takes pride of place on a star-studded card in New York on Saturday, with the Preakness winner Exaggerator attempting to land another leg of the American Triple Crown.
But for Godolphin fans, the reappearance of the stable's long-established duo, Frosted and Marking, in G1 Met Mile is the highlight.
Neither Godolphin horse has run since Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on March 26, but Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains both, expects them to run big races.
"People keep asking how horses are going to perform back in the States after racing in Dubai, and I keep telling them that making that trip has no detrimental effect whatsoever," McLaughlin said.
"We ran Lady Shipman, who finished 7th in the Al Quoz Sprint, and she's come back and won two races since her return. Invasor, in his year (the 2007 World Cup winner) was another. There are no ill-effects that I can see," the Godolphin trainer pointed out.
Frosted finished 5th to California Chrome in the G1 Dubai World Cup, and having earned a high official rating for his exploits as a three-year-old, he is giving away weight in this time-honoured race, officially named the Metropolitan Handicap.
"Frosted is fit and very well," McLaughlin reported. "The Met Mile is more like a mile and a sixteenth.
They will go very, very quick. The leaders will be getting tired, and I'm hoping Frosted will be running on. He's been training at Greentree in Saratoga," he added.
Another, who has been working out there is Marking, who has been given plenty of gate practice at the Oklahoma track at Saratoga after some of his antics caused concern on his visit to Dubai.
"The gate is bigger and wider here in the States, and that probably suits him better. I think he will do well," the trainer added. Marking finished 4th in the G2 Godolphin Mile on World Cup night.
McLaughlin also saddles Tamarkuz for Shadwell in the Met Mile. He finished 4th in last year's race after having won the Godolphin Mile in Dubai.
Other Godolphin runners of interest at Belmont later in the week are Kareena, who appears in the Jersey Girl Stakes on Friday, and Wembley, who is due to run on Sunday.
"Kareena is light on experience but a very talented filly, while Wembley is a filly I like a lot," McLaughlin said.
