Godolphin's mercurial homebred
Thunder Snow..
is on track for another North American venture.
Unraced since his
brilliant victory in the March 31
Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1),
Thunder Snow is tentatively slated to make his return in
the Aug. 12 Prix Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville, his
connections announced July 12, with ultimate designs
on returning to the United States for a start in the
Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.
Should all go as hoped in the one-mile le Marois,
trainer Saeed bin Suroor said plans would then call for
Thunder Snow to prep for the Breeders' Cup with a start
in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) Sept. 29 at
Belmont Park.
"We are planning to take Thunder Snow to the
Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park … but want to
give him a race in Europe first. That could be the Prix
Jacques le Marois," bin Suroor said. "Thunder Snow is
fine—he just needed a break.
The ultimate target this
year is the Breeders' Cup Classic."
Thunder Snow's Dubai World Cup success gave him
the distinction of being a group 1 winner at ages 2, 3,
and 4. The son of Helmet captured the 2016 Criterium
International (G1) at Saint Cloud and won last year's
UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al
Naboodah Group (G2) as part of a sophomore campaign
that also saw him take the Prix Jean Prat (G1).
His expected return to Churchill Downs for this
year's Breeders' Cup would give the bay colt a chance
to make amends for his career low point. In the 2017
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1),
Thunder Snow propped and bucked immediately after
the break, forcing jockey Christophe Soumillon to pull
him up.
Thunder Snow has finished worse than third just
once in nine starts since that ignominious classic outing
and boasts
7 wins from 18 starts with $8,381,476 in
earnings.
per bloodhorse today 7-13