Silver Charm, Shaking Off Injury, to Run in Dubai Cup

Silver Charm, unable to run in last Saturday’s Santa Anita Handicap because of a bruised hoof, is going to Dubai to run in the $4-million race there on March 28.

Officials of the Dubai World Cup confirmed the decision, which was made Monday night by Bob and Beverly Lewis, the owners of Silver Charm, and their trainer, Bob Baffert.

According to Baffert, Silver Charm has quickly shaken off the heel injury that resulted from a gallop around Santa Anita the day before the Big ‘Cap. Baffert had been considering the Oaklawn Handicap, an Arkansas race worth $750,000. First place in Dubai is worth $2.4 million.

Silver Charm and Malek, the surprise winner of the Big ‘Cap, are scheduled to travel on the same plane Friday. It’s a 22-hour journey, counting a stopover in Frankfurt.

Gentlemen, who had been a possibility for Dubai, took himself out of contention when he finished last, as the 1-20 favorite, in a four-horse field in the Big ‘Cap. Gentlemen has bled from the lungs in the last two big ‘Caps and Lasix, the diuretic used by bleeders in the U.S., is not permitted in Dubai.

Silver Charm, winner of last year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness, also runs on Lasix, but American horses running without the medication have still done well in Dubai. Cigar won the inaugural running in 1996 and Siphon and Sandpit finished second and third, respectively, behind Singspiel last year.

Eoin Harty, Baffert’s assistant, will accompany Silver Charm to Dubai and supervise his training until Baffert arrives several days before the 1 1/4-mile race, which is run over a sandy course. Gary Stevens, who chose Silver Charm over Gentlemen before Silver Charm was scratched from the Big ‘Cap, is expected to ride the colt.