Breeders' Cup Turf Winner Yibir Stateside for Man o'War

Godolphin homebred Yibir (GB), winner of the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) in November at Del Mar, landed in New York the morning of May 8 for Saturday's $700,000 Man o' War (G1T), an 11-furlong test for older horses on the inner turf at Belmont Park. There are four other stakes on the card—the $150,000 Beaugay (G3T) over 1 1/16 miles for older fillies and mares; the 1 1/8-mile, $200,000 Peter Pan (G3) for 3-year-olds; the six-furlong, $150,000 Run Happy (G3) for 4-year-olds and up; and the 6 1/2-furlong, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap (G3) for 4-year-olds and up. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Yibir, a 4-year-old son of Dubawi (IRE), captured the $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational in September at Belmont ahead of his rallying half-length score over Broome (IRE) at the Breeders' Cup. The multiple group winner shipped from Stansted Airport in London, England, to Frankfurt, Germany, along their journey to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. "We touched down just after midnight and we were into the barn and done by 2 a.m.," said Appleby's traveling assistant Chris Connett. "We were very happy with him on the flight. He ate and drank a nice amount of water, which is key when you get horses on a plane for that length of time." Yibir has made two starts this campaign, finishing a close second in March in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1T) ahead of a runner-up effort April 29 over good going in the Betfair Exchange Jockey Club (G2) at Newmarket. Connett said Yibir has matured physically since his last appearance at Belmont. "He's got a bit bigger and filled out and strengthened again," Connett said. "He's had two runs this year, one in Dubai where he finished a nail-biting second, and then he had a little prep run one week ago at Newmarket. That race didn't quite pan out the way we'd have liked it to—the ground was a bit softer than he probably really likes and it was an undulating course, but we're excited to get him back to America on quick ground and a nice, level surface. "I think he likes coming to America," Connett added. "The races suit him and play to his strengths. There's a nice even tempo and he likes to kick off of that." Last year, Yibir captured the Bahrain Trophy (G3) in July at Newmarket and the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur (G2) in August at York before shipping to North America and winning both stateside tests. Connett said that Yibir, who does not have a jockey assignment yet, will require only light training into Saturday's prestigious event. "We'll break quarantine Tuesday morning and hopefully go out to the track for a jog and a hack around," Connett said. "It will just be light maintenance work. He ran last week and he's done all his fast work at home. We'll just keep him happy." Bred in Great Britain by his owner, Yibir is out of the Monsun mare Rumh, who also produced group 1 winner Wild Illusion (GB).