Lundy's Liability, winner of the $2 million (Dh7.35 million) UAE Derby (Gr 2) last year, returns to the scene of his most famous triumph to challenge for an even greater prize, the $6 million Dubai World Cup (Gr 1).
Bred in Brazil but trained in America by Bobby Frankel, Lundy's Liability is among 13 horses likely to contest the 10th running of the mile and a quarter race on dirt at Nad Al Sheba on March 26.
Lundy's Liability won the UAE Derby for South African trainer Mike de Kock before he was switched to Frankel's base in America. He has been lightly raced since.
On his most recent start in the Santa Anita Handicap (Gr 1), a race that was intended as a warm-up for the Dubai World Cup, Lundy's Liability finished fifth behind Rock Hard Ten.
In a hard run race he was far from disgraced and finished less than four lengths behind the winner.
Earlier in the San Antonio Stakes (Gr 2), the prep for the Santa Anita Handicap, the five-year-old showed what stuff he is made of. After duelling with front running Truly A Judge, the David Flores-ridden Lundy's Liability pulled away for a one and 1/2-length triumph. Despite a steady shower the race was contested on a fast track.
Lundy's Liability had Truly A Judge and Dubai World Cup hopeful Congrats, behind him on that day. After more than six months on the sidelines following his UAE win, the son of Candy Stripes captured the Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap (Gr 2) on his US debut at Santa Anita last October.
He followed up that effort with a sixth-place finish after setting the pace in the Clark Handicap (Gr 2) at Churchill Downs in November. Lundy's Liability is jointly owned by Mary Slack of Johannesburg and Gonzalo Torrealba's TNT Stud of Rio de Janeiro, who also bred him.
He has won five of eight lifetime starts.
In the Dubai World Cup Lundy's Liability will face fellow raiders from the US, Roses In May, Congrats and Choctaw Nation, in addition to runners from the UK, Japan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE.
The other runners are Adjudi Mitsuo (Japan), Chiquitin, Dynever and King's Boy (Saudi Arabia), Jack Sullivan (UK), Yard-Arm (South Africa) and Ruler's Court and Grand Hombre (UAE).
