Animal Kingdom, the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, will make his first start since June on Saturday in a $60,000 turf allowance at Gulfstream Park.
Last year's Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old will make his return in a 1-1/16-mile race for non-winners of three races other than maiden, claiming or starter. Trainer Graham Motion plans the race as a prep for a start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31.
After winning the Derby, Animal Kingdom lost to Shackleford in the Preakness by a half-length. He finished sixth in the Belmont Stakes, and it was then discovered he had a fracture in his left hind leg that required surgery and sidelined him the rest of the year.
Earlier this month, Motion said he would use the Tampa Bay Stakes on Feb. 25 Tampa Bay Downs for the comeback race. Instead, he opted to keep the colt at Gulfstream Park, closer to the Palm Meadows trainer center where Animal Kingdom has been working out.
