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| Staff Writer |
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From Breeders' Cup champion to global superstar, Straight No Chaser has been rewriting the sprinting hierarchy with devastating performances that have left rivals trailing in his wake. Fresh from demolishing a top-class field in the US$2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, the 6YO speedster now has his sights set on Dubai's Golden Shaheen, where victory would cement his status as the world's premier dirt sprinter.
From Breeders' Cup champion to global superstar, Straight No Chaser has been rewriting the sprinting hierarchy with devastating performances that have left rivals trailing in his wake. Fresh from demolishing a top-class field in the US$2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, the 6YO speedster now has his sights set on Dubai's Golden Shaheen, where victory would cement his status as the world's premier dirt sprinter.
The son of Speightster, who powered to a commanding 3¾-length victory at King Abdulaziz Racecourse last month, has given California-based British trainer Dan Blacker the horse of a lifetime – one capable of conquering racing's global stage and fulfilling long-held ambitions.
For British-born Blacker, a Godolphin Flying Start graduate who has steadily built his reputation in California since taking out his licence in 2011, this international campaign with Straight No Chaser represents the pinnacle of his career to date.
"One of my greatest ambitions personally was to take a good horse overseas and campaign him on the global stage," Blacker reveals. "This horse is obviously one of the best horses I've ever had. To get the chance to do that is a dream come true."
The victory in Riyadh wasn't just impressive – it was emphatic. Breaking sharply under John Velazquez, Straight No Chaser settled into his rhythm despite early pressure from Jasper Krone before powering clear in the home straight to win with authority in a time of 1:11.159.
"Once he broke sharp and put himself close to the pace, as he did, I felt pretty confident he was going to run well," reflects Blacker. "I'm just really proud of the horse and I'm glad he gets to prove himself on the global stage against the fastest horses in the world."
That triumph came despite initial concerns about the Saudi racing surface, which Blacker admits had played on his mind.
"The race itself, I was most anxious about the surface of the track. A lot of people have said that it's a deep dirt surface, which Straight No Chaser is not familiar with typically in California," Blacker explains. "The tracks that he's run on in the States have been fast dirt tracks, so I was a little concerned about the surface."
Those fears proved unfounded as Straight No Chaser adapted seamlessly to the conditions, demonstrating his versatility and class. His ability to handle different tracks bodes well for the Dubai challenge. Blacker believes the Meydan dirt may prove even more suitable.
"Even as impressively as he ran in Riyadh, I think the dirt surface at Meydan should be even more to his liking. As I said, he likes a fast dirt track, and I think, typically, at Meydan, speed is key. So I think that's going to hopefully work out in our favour."
Blacker attributes much of this success to the horse's remarkable temperament. "He's a very resilient horse, and he takes travel all in his stride. Nothing really phases him in terms of moving from place to place, which is part of what makes him so great."
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While Straight No Chaser has made himself at home in Dubai, Blacker has returned to his California base at Santa Anita. The logistics of managing a champion racehorse from 8,000 miles away might seem daunting, but Blacker has systems in place that ensure nothing is left to chance.
"I talk to my assistant every day about every horse, whether I'm at the location or if I'm away," he explains. "We go through every horse every day when we finish before training and after. I have all my charts on my computer, so I have access to everything."
Key to this international operation is Blacker's assistant, Juan Landeros, who stays with the horse throughout his travels and maintains the daily routines that have proven so successful.
"I have a routine that has been in place and has worked for me for many years. He knows the routine. It's second nature to him," Blacker says of Landeros. "In terms of the feed programme and the horse's routine and training, everything's pretty straightforward."
Technology plays its part, too, with iPads and computer systems ensuring both trainer and assistant remain in perfect sync despite the distance. The familiar oval configuration of Meydan's training tracks also helps maintain consistency with their American setup.
Blacker isn't leaving anything to chance, with plans to fly back to Dubai to oversee Straight No Chaser's first major workout in preparation for the Golden Shaheen. The 6YO will have at least three recorded workouts ahead of the April 5 showpiece, with a fourth possible depending on the horse's progress.
"He just keeps surprising me. He took the travel from Los Angeles to Saudi Arabia really well, all in his stride. He ran his guts out on Saturday and then came out of the race really well, and was shipped to Dubai. This morning, we were looking at him and could see he's barely dropped any weight at all. It's pretty remarkable. He's such a resilient horse."
The six-week gap between Riyadh and Dubai appears tailor-made for Straight No Chaser, allowing him sufficient recovery time while maintaining peak fitness.
"There's kind of a perfect time frame. And it's somewhere between five to seven to eight weeks," Blacker explains when discussing the optimal spacing between races. "Six weeks really fits right in that perfect window. He gets plenty of time to get fresh and get his energy back ready to fire from the race in Saudi. And then also it's not too far away so he can retain some of the fitness of the previous race."
Blacker's approach reflects the evolution of training methods in recent years, with the focus increasingly on producing peak performances from well-spaced races rather than frequent competition.
"I think there's been a lot of talk over the last 10 years of modern racehorses racing less than they used to. And I think it's a product, in my opinion, of the evolution of training methods and trainers' philosophies of how to get their horses to perform at their absolute peak on race day."
This approach varies significantly across the globe, as Blacker acknowledges. "And in a lot of regions in the world they do it differently. You know, in Australia, they often run horses back quickly within a week and then again within two weeks. And I think it just depends on where you are in the world and what works for your horse as an individual."
For Straight No Chaser specifically, the approach makes perfect sense, given his physical build and running style.
"He's kind of a more light-framed horse that, I think, runs a big race, typically, if you give him a little bit more time between races. So six weeks, to me, in my mind, when you look at the time scale and all the travel, I think it works perfectly."
Victory in Dubai would carry special significance for Blacker, who credits the Godolphin Flying Start programme with launching his career. The prestigious two-year management and leadership programme saw him placed with trainers across multiple jurisdictions, including Jeremy Noseda in the UK, David Hayes in Australia, Godolphin in Dubai and Richard Mandella in California.
"I owe a lot to Sheikh Mohammed and the Godolphin Flying Start programme. That's really how I got my career started. I wouldn't be where I am now if I hadn't had that opportunity," Blacker acknowledges.
That international foundation has proven invaluable as he navigates the complexities of campaigning a horse across different continents, time zones and racing cultures.
Although Blacker took out his training licence in 2011, top-level success has come relatively recently. His first Grade One winner arrived in 2021 when Hit The Road won the Frank E Kilroe Mile Stakes at Santa Anita, with Straight No Chaser providing his second in last November's Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Now, on the brink of potential Dubai World Cup night glory, Blacker is returning to the place where his career journey began, with a champion capable of cementing his place among the global sprinting elite.
"I'm excited to go back to Dubai. It's changed a lot since I was there. But at the roots, it's still one of the meccas of global racing right now."
For MyRacehorse, the syndicate that owns Straight No Chaser, the international campaign represents a remarkable success story. Their Eclipse Award-winning champion has proven himself not just America's top dirt sprinter, but potentially the best in the world.
The horse's distinctive name has its own story, too. "I think the name is actually the name of an acapella band in the United States," explains Blacker. "And his mother's name is Margarita Friday. So, there are some links to drinking, which is maybe not appropriate when you're in Saudi Arabia."
And what of future plans should Straight No Chaser conquer Dubai? True to his methodical approach, Blacker is reluctant to look too far ahead.
"I always tend to see how these horses come out of the race, how they travel, and let them give us an indicator of how soon they can run back or how much time they might need off before their next race."
A return to the Breeders' Cup to defend his Sprint title seems the logical long-term target, especially with his Riyadh victory securing a "win and you're in" qualification for the championship event.
"We're just focused on the Golden Shaheen right now; we are aimed at that and hopefully we get a good result in this race. We'll decide what's next after that."
With his champion thriving in the Dubai sunshine and showing no ill effects from his travels, few would bet against Straight No Chaser adding another global prize to his growing collection on World Cup night.