Sham Draws Shah Jehan

Shah Jehan, who cost $4.4 million as a yearling, will make his U.S. debut Friday at Santa Anita, facing five other 3-year-olds in the $75,000 Sham Stakes.

Shah Jehan, owned by John Magnier and Michael Tabor, who also campaign Johannesburg, the winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, won one of four starts last year in Europe, finishing seventh in his last start, about 31/2 months ago. Originally in the hands of Aidan O’Brien, who’s also the trainer of Johannesburg, the Mr. Prospector colt is now trained by Wayne Lukas, who was bidding against Magnier and Tabor when the horse went through the Keeneland sales ring. Tabor won the 1995 Kentucky Derby with Thunder Gulch, a colt trained by Lukas.

At 11/8 miles, the Sham has also drawn Hot Contest, who broke his maiden on Dec. 30, and Cottonwood Cowboy, who was third in the Santa Catalina Stakes on Jan. 19.

Johannesburg, who finished the year undefeated in seven starts, has not run since the Breeders’ Cup and has begun light training in Ireland. O’Brien said that no plan would be outlined until late this month. One scenario has Johannesburg running once at home, then in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 13 and the Kentucky Derby on May 1. Another possibility is that Johannesburg would skip the Triple Crown and concentrate on the British classics.

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Red Bullet is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in a field of 14 for Saturday’s $500,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Florida. Red Bullet will be ridden by Jerry Bailey, who’ll make another cross-country trip to ride You on Sunday in the $200,000 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita. ... Unbridled Elaine, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, has been retired because of ankle injuries. ... Early reports on telephone and Internet betting in California show that $839,097--an average of $139,850 a day--was bet the first six days accounts were available.

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Bill Christine