The biggest payday in racing history gets closer

Dubai - Horses from across the world, 117 of the best from 13 countries, will be at the Meydan Racecourse

The 22nd running of the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse racing event on the planet is upon us with just four days to go to the big night.
Horses and connections from across the world, 117 of the best from 13 countries, to be precise, will be at the spectacular Meydan Racecourse, contesting the nine-race card. Hosts UAE are out in full force with 45 horses set to line-up at the starting gates across the nine races.
It is a quality card with each race holding its own but the piece de resistance is quite obviously the $10 million Dubai World Cup, with raiders from the USA, Japan, as well as the UAE, going horse shoe to horse shoe, to land the biggest payday in racing history.
Although most connections may not openly admit it, the post position draw does play a vital part to their destiny and fortunes. Prior to the race night this Saturday, the post position draw will be held at the Sky Bubble, Meydan Grandstand, on Wednesday.
The Dubai World Cup race has a stellar field of 14 runners with American ace Arrogate, the charge of Bob Baffert, being the headline act. Arrogate will be looking to emulate compatriot and star California Chrome, who won the race last year.
The four-year-old Breeders' Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup winner is one of the new faces among the lot but quite interestingly, there are four others who are aiming a second shot at the spoils.
The Mike de Kock-trained Mubtaahij is in the fray, and so is Special Fighter, who last year raced for Musabah Al Muhairi, but is now the charge of Maria Ritchie. The other two repeat runners are America's Hoppertunity, which finished third last year and Keen Ice, who has changed hands and is now under Dale Romans and jockey Ryan Moore.
Wednesday's draw should be an intriguing one in the sense that sometimes a favourable or unfavourable starting gate may become vice versa. California Chrome didn't have the luck of the draw with him breaking from the wide stall 11. But we all know how that went with Victor Espinoza piloting Art Sherman's charge into the history books, and that too, with record time.
Mubtaahij, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, had started from gate 4 and tussled with Hoppertunity, who was off the blocks from stall 10, before finishing second. Hoppertunity had to settle for third, losing out on second by a neck.
Special Fighter, owned by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, had impressed on World Cup night last year, with Fernando Jara guiding him to fourth after starting from gate 5. Keen Ice, who drew gate 1, finished eighth.
So, the draw on the morrow should be an interesting prospect.
 
james@khaleejtimes.com