Baffert recalls how Sheikh Mohammed helped save his life in Dubai

American Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has great memories of the UAE having won the $12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates on four occasions, the most by any trainer beside Saeed bin Suroor (nine).

However, there is one other memory that will remain with him forever and it’s not a good one.

In 2012 Baffert, who came to Dubai with a horse called Game On Dude, suffered a life-threatening heart attack just days before the race and was rushed to City Hospital where specialists carried out an emergency surgery to save his life.

Game On Dude did not win, but Baffert won the battle for his life as he made a quick recovery.

Earlier this week, he paid tribute to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who famously visited Baffert in the hospital and wished him well.

“I have great memories because I had a heart attack there and Sheikh Mohammed saved me,” Baffert told the Dubai Racing Club.

“I got a second chance; he sent a top guy (doctor) in there and he fixed me. There wouldn’t have been any Triple Crowns if he hadn’t saved me.

“I have so much respect for Sheikh Mohammed and his family – he’s such a visionary and has been really good for American racing.”

Baffert, who is one of the most successful trainers in American racing history, has claimed four Dubai World Cup trophies with Silver Charm (1998), Captain Steve (2001), Arrogate (2017), and Country Grammer (2022), and has sent out Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap hero Newgate in a bid for a fifth title.

The American will not be at Meydan on March 30, and he will be represented by his long-time training partner Jimmy Barnes.

“I love Dubai, I’d love to go but I’m shorthanded of an assistant right now, so Jimmy is going, he’ll be there at the weekend, along with a rider and a groom,” Baffert said.

“With Newgate I know I’m kind of back a little quick, but he’s a really hardy horse who carries a lot of flesh,” says the silver-haired American.

“He’s doing better now than he was going into the Big Cap when he was a little heavy. I really think he’s doing well.”

Baffert confirmed that Newgate will be ridden by three-time Dubai World Cup-winning jockey Frankie Dettori, who was in the saddle when Country Grammer provided the American handler with his fourth trophy after comfortably seeing off the challenge of Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat/Doug O'Neill), Chuwa Wizard (Yuga Kawada, Ryuji Okubo) and Life Is Good (Irad Ortiz Jr./ Todd Pletcher).

“The thing about Frankie Dettori is the great riders don’t need any instructions,” said Baffert of the British ace who is currently based in Santa Anita, north east Los Angeles.

“When the gate opens, they figure it out. The last thing on my mind is worrying about Frankie and what he’s going to do on the horse. My job is to make sure that the horse shows up.”

Assessing the opposition that Newgate and Dettori have to negotiate, which include the defending champion Ushba Tesoro, last year’s UAE Derby scorer Derma Sotogake and recent Saudi Cup victor Senor Bescador, Baffert said: “I’m running against one of my old horses (Laurel River). He’s a really talented horse; a top calibre horse. They can all stay if they don’t go too fast early on.”

Baffert trained the six-year-old son of Into Mischief to win the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar, before the horse was transferred to Bhupat Seemar’s Zabeel Stables in Dubai.