Dan Blacker’s meticulous approach to training has earned him a place on the global racing stage, and his star sprinter STRAIGHT NO CHASER is set to take on his biggest challenge yet in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (sponsored by Nakheel) on April 5. The California-based trainer made a 16-hour journey to Dubai last week to personally oversee the horse’s workout at Meydan Racecourse, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to detail.
“I came in for four days,” Blacker said. “It was his first work there, so I wanted to see him go over the track and talk to my assistant, Juan Landeros, who gets on him every day. He’s a big part of this horse’s success.”
For Blacker, Dubai holds special significance. A graduate of the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program in 2007, he spent time in the UAE as part of the two-year course. “Dubai was a lot different then to what it is now,” he recalled. “It’s always had a special place in my heart, and I’ve always hoped to have a horse good enough to compete on World Cup night. I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to do it with this horse.”
STRAIGHT NO CHASER’s main competition in the Golden Shaheen comes in the form of TUZ, trained by Bhupat Seemar. Blacker has done his homework on the local sprinting star, who is unbeaten in over a year and won this race in 2024. “I’ve watched his win in the Golden Shaheen last year, and we respect that horse a lot,” he said. “Bhupat does a great job, and he’s on his home turf – I think that’s the main thing. This is a new surface for us, a new challenge. We’ll just have to see who’s best on the big night.”
STRAIGHT NO CHASER is no stranger to international success. The six-year-old son of Speightster announced himself as one of the world’s top sprinters with a dominant victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar last November, followed by a stunning performance in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia last month.
“Saudi was a great experience personally,” said Blacker. “The horse really thrived there, and he’s thriving in Dubai too. What’s remarkable about this horse is not only his talent and desire but that he just takes everything in his stride – all the travel is no trouble to him. That’s what makes him so special.”
The road to the top wasn’t always smooth for STRAIGHT NO CHASER. Purchased by MyRacehorse at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Breeze-Up Sale, he required patience early in his career. “He needed a bit of time, just immaturity stuff, nothing major,” Blacker explained. “He came into my barn at the end of his two-year-old year and was a little bit of a late bloomer. But as he trained and grew, he just got stronger. We had a minor issue at the beginning of his three-year-old year, so he didn’t start until July. But he always showed a lot of talent—right from the word go.”
Blacker, originally from the UK, has spent 18 years in California, where he has built a strong reputation. But he acknowledges that STRAIGHT NO CHASER has taken his career to new heights. “He’s the best horse I’ve ever had, so of course he’s changed my life,” he admitted. “I’ve got to follow him in his races around the world, and any horse that does that is very special. To compete on the global stage has always been an ambition of mine, so to have a horse that can do that and win is very exciting. I’m thankful to be his trainer.”
Should STRAIGHT NO CHASER win the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the celebrations at Meydan could be among the biggest seen on World Cup night. Through the micro-share ownership model of MyRacehorse, he has 946 owners, many of whom are expected to travel to Dubai for the race.
“The more owners, the bigger the party!” Blacker said with a laugh. “I don’t feel any pressure. I think micro-share syndicates like MyRacehorse are a great addition to the industry. They encourage people to get into ownership when they might not have before. It’s a really positive thing, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Beyond his success in racing, Blacker recently faced a personal challenge when his family had a close escape from the California wildfires earlier this year. “We evacuated for about a week,” he said. “We live in Pasadena and could see the fire from our backyard on January 7. The winds were like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Our house wasn’t burned, but we had to replace a lot of things due to smoke damage and ash. Overall, we were very lucky.”
Luck, talent, and relentless dedication have defined Blacker’s career. With STRAIGHT NO CHASER now poised for another major test on the world stage, the trainer’s journey is set to reach even greater heights.
