Shackleford and Ruler clash in Donn Handicap

Preview: USA, Saturday 9.45pm GMT

Gulfstream Park: Donn Hcap (Grade 1) 1m1f, dirt, 4yo+

THE winners of two of last year's Triple Crown races meet on Saturday when Shackleford and Ruler On Ice clash head-on in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream.

The $500,000 event has earned a reputation as the foremost US trial for the Dubai World Cup, and both Preakness winner Shackleford and Belmont hero Ruler On Ice are being lined up for a possible crack at the world's richest race - although neither has any form on an all-weather surface.

It is traditional dirt at Gulfstream on Saturday for the Donn, by far the best race of the season so far also featuring Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Flat Out and the unbeaten Trickmeister.

As well as winning the Preakness, front-running Shackleford (Dale Romans/Jesus Castanon) finished second in the Haskell, Indiana Derby and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last term.

He was also just beaten in the Florida Derby at this venue. "He hasn't missed a beat," said trainer Dale Romans. "He hasn't missed a beat in his life. It's his nature. He's just tough."

With so much pace around, the Donn could be set upfor Breeders' Cup Classic third Ruler On Ice (Kelly Breen/Rosie Napravnik), who came out of a dull effort on his last start in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap with a lung infection.

"That took a while to clean out but he's doing great now," said Kelly Breen. "We're looking for a good transition from his three- to four-year-old season."

The Clark, a Grade 1 at Churchill Downs over this distance on November 25, looks a key race here.

Clark runner-up Mission Impazible (Todd Pletcher/Javier Castellano) faces extreme pressure up front in this company but third-placed Flat Out (Scooter Dickey/Alex Solis) was sent off favourite that day and may find the pace set-up to his liking in the Donn.

However, everyone will be afraid of the two-headed monster from Rick Dutrow's Aqueduct barn as the controversial trainer saddles Trickmeister (Ramon Dominguez) and Redeemed (Edgar Prado).

Never out of the first three in eight career starts, Redeemed comes in off a pair of stakes victories but can still be regarded only as a second string behind the blistering Trickmeister.

After 14 months on the sidelines with a cannonbone injury, the five-year-old made all for a runaway victory in stakes company at Gulfstream in December. That was his fifth win in five starts, persuading Dutrow to target the Donn.

Also on Saturday

Gulfstream Park: Gulfstream Park Turf Hcap (Grade 1) 1m1f, turf, 4yo+ (10.13pm GMT)

Dual Grade 1 winner Get Stormy (Tom Bush/Ramon Dominguez), coming in off a four-race losing streak, shoulders top-weight here, conceding a pound to Silver Medallion (Todd Pletcher/Javier Castellano), who beat several of thesewhen charging from the rear in a Grade 3 here last month. Smart Bid (Graham Motion/Edgar Prado) was touched off in this 12 months ago.

Gulfstream Park: Hutcheson Stakes (Grade 2) 7f, dirt, 3yo (8.49pm GMT)

The speedy Ever So Lucky (Jonathan Sheppard/Julien Leparoux) is a Kentucky Derby fancy but while the Churchill Downs trip will be a question mark, this 7f ought not to be a problem.

Rivals include Thunder Moccasin (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez), yet another nice-looking maiden winner from a barn full of likely Classic types.

Santa Anita: San Marcos Stakes (Grade 2) 1m2f, turf, 4yo+ (12.38am Sun GMT)

Sanagas (Peter Miller/Joel Rosario), whose long-term aim is the Melbourne Cup, bids to confirm Hollywood Turf Cup form with Bourbon Bay (Neil Drysdale/Rafael Bejarano), who won this last year.