American contender Arrogate and Godolphin's challenger Move Up get favourable draw

Dubai - The Post Position Draw for the $10 million magnum opus was done at the Sky Bubble, Meydan Grandstand

The battle lines have now been drawn.
American contender Arrogate, highly fancied to win the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest race, had a favourable draw and so did Godolphin's challenger Move Up.
The Post Position Draw for the $10 million magnum opus was done at the Sky Bubble, Meydan Grandstand a little before noon on Wednesday and Arrogate, the Breeders' Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup winner, will break out from Gate 9 on Dubai World Cup night at the Meydan Racecourse on Saturday.
Godolphin racing operation's Move Up was the last of the pick at the draw but the rub of the green was on the four-year-old son of Dubawi.
The charge of Saeed bin Suroor, the most successful trainer at the Dubai World Cup with an envious seven wins, will be primed for an assault after drawing Stall 6.
Arrogate's stablemate Hoppertunity, who raced here last time out and had finished third, drew a wide gate and will start on the outside. The six-year-old will start from Stall 12.
The UAE's Mubtaahij, which finished runner-up to California Chrome last year, too was a tad unlucky and will break out from the last Gate - 14. The five-year-old had got Stall 4 last year. And just like last year, beside Mubtaahij will be Special Fighter, who drew Gate 13. The six-year-old had drawn Gate 5 last time out. Special Fighter, who impressed last year before eventually ending up fourth, is trained by the only lady trainer in the fray - Maria Ritchie.
Talking of women, Furia Cruzada, the only Mare in the race, will be up against the big boys and got a favourable draw. The Champion Mare in Chile and Argentina, she will break out from Gate 8, just beside Arrogate. And that should be an interesting prospect.
Furia Cruzada is trained by veteran Frenchman Erwan Charpy, who has been a regular on the UAE racing scene.
Japanese trainer Mikio Matsunaga, who has two runners in Awardee and Lani, last year's UAE Derby winner, have drawn Gates 7 and 4 respectively.
"Nine is fine," said Bob Baffert, the trainer of Arrogate.
"The main thing for him is to get away then it's up to (jockey) Mike Smith to decide. I just didn't want to be number 14 or on the inside otherwise it really didn't matter. I know I have a great horse. If he just repeats his last race we'll be in good shape," added Baffert, who is gunning a third victory after winning it with Silver Charm (1998) and Captain Steve (2001).
Meanwhile, Saeed bin Suroor said it couldn't have got any better after being the last pick.
"He's (Move Up) getting better all the time and it looks a good gate. The horse is doing really well since he came to Dubai. I'm very happy it's the best draw. I was left with six but if I could have chosen I'd have gone between five and eight anyway," said the Emirati, who last won the race with Prince Bishop, two years ago.
Mubtaahij's camp were resigned to the luck of the draw. "What can we do? We're very happy with his progress since his last race. You have to take what you get," Trevor Brown, assistant to trainer Mike de Kock, said.
Meanwhile, Ritchie said it was now up to jockey Fernando Jara. "Ideally I'd have liked to have been in six or seven so being out in 13 isn't ideal and I just hope we don't get trapped three wide. It's not an easy draw as he usually races close to the pace and I just have to leave it to the jockey now," she said.
james@khaleejtimes.com