Posted: Thursday, March 25, 2010 1:58 PM

Trainer Mary Hartmann took one look around the massive Meydan Racecourse and shook her head in amazement.

“Have you ever seen anything like this?,” she asked. “I’ve been to Belmont Park, Santa Anita [Park], and a lot of other tracks, and they are all nice, but this is a totally different playing field. It’s actually another whole ballpark.

“I mean, Belmont Park is big, but you could fit about 2½ Belmont Parks in here. It’s enough to boggle the mind.”

Hartmann has traveled halfway around the world to oversee preparations for her multiple Grade 1 winner Presious Passion, who will try to best some of the world’s best turf horses in the $5-million Guangsha Group Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) on Saturday.

The seven-year-old Royal Anthem gelding has made a career of hustling to the front and staying there, daring opponents to catch and overtake him. On most occasions, he simply runs them into the ground as he reaches the wire in front.

“Turf horses that like longer distances are not supposed to be able to do what he does on a regular basis,” she said. “You see him on the lead and think he’s going to come back to [other horses] and give them a chance to go by, but that doesn’t happen very often.”

A three-time Grade 1 winner that has won 14 of 44 career starts since 2005, Hartmann said Presious Passion still does not get much respect from some in the racing community.

Presious Passion’s game runner-up finish in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) in November, however, when he was overtaken in the final strides by Conduit (Ire), was vindication enough that he belongs in competition with the world’s top turf horses.

“You know there was talk and some bad press before the Breeders’ Cup that he didn’t belong or whatever, and he came out, ran his race, and finished second. I was thrilled with that.

“He runs his hardest every time out with no excuses. If it’s good enough to win, great; if it’s not and he comes out of the race healthy, I have no problem with that.”

Owned by Patricia Generazio, Presious Passion enters the Dubai Sheema Classic off a clear front-running victory in the 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2) on February 28 at Gulfstream Park, a race that Hartmann thinks set him up perfectly for Saturday’s 2,410-meter (11.98-furlong) test.

“He had a two-month break before the [Mac Diarmida] and he always is really strong in the second start after a layoff,” she said. “He shipped over well and has been training great, so I have high hopes for a strong performance.

“He’s like a senior citizen; he’s been through it all and nothing fazes him. He just goes out every time and does his job without any problems. There needs to be more people like that.”

Hartmann said she probably will never be able to repay Presious Passion for all the excitement he has given her, including this trip halfway across the globe to run in one of the world’s richest races.

“I don’t have any children, but I do have dogs and he is right up there with my dogs,” she said. “He’s got a great personality, he’s very kind, and is great to be around. He really is family and I love him to death.”

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