Country Grammer

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- My, oh my, how times have changed. When the G1 Dubai World Cup was introduced at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse back in 1996, its $4 million in prize-money equaled that on offer for that year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic and an American clean sweep of the top three placings--won by the legendary Cigar after an unforgettable final-furlong battle with compatriot Soul of the Matter--really and truly put the race on the map. The locally owned Halling, one of four in the race for a trainer...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- WinStar Farm, Commonwealth Thoroughbreds and Zedan Racing LLC's Country Grammer (Tonalist) was assigned gate 14 in a field of 15 when he goes out in defense of his title in Saturday's G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline at Meydan Racecourse, with the draw held at the Armani Hotel located in the towering Burj Khalifa in Central Dubai. The 6-year-old, the final World Cup ride for jockey Frankie Dettori, won the GII San Antonio S. in dominating fashion in late December at Santa Anita...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Bloodstock agents are equal parts pedigree analysts, money managers and equine recruiters for those audacious (crazy?) enough to dabble in Thoroughbred ownership. Few have followed the trajectory of the career of Country Grammer (Tonalist) more closely than the well-respected Peter Bradley, who went to work on behalf of the late Paul Pompa, Jr. at the 2019 OBS April Sale. It was Bradley's name on the docket when the hammer fell in the first 20 minutes of the final day of the auction, having parted with...

WinStar Farm, Commonwealth Thoroughbreds and Zedan Racing's defending G1 Dubai World Cup champion Country Grammer (Tonalist) tops a dozen North American entries for the Dubai World Cup program at Meydan Racecourse Saturday, Mar. 25. The prospective fields were revealed overnight by the Dubai Racing Club. The 6-year-old is one of 13 in the field for the $12-million centerpiece of the meeting, including no fewer than eight runners from Japan topped by Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who registered a half-length defeat of Country Grammer in the G1 Saudi Cup last...

Dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) has been given a mark of 125 to top the latest version of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. The gelding ran out a one-length winner of the G1 Stewards' Cup, defeating Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (123), with California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) (122) in third. Golden Sixty then padded his record with a head tally over Romantic Warrior in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. GI Pegasus World Cup hero Art Collector (Bernardini) has been...

Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who defeated Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup this past Saturday, has arrived in Dubai alongside his erstwhile rival ahead of the Mar. 25 Dubai World Cup meeting. Now the third-highest earning Japanese-trained horse of all time, the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Panthalassa has been nominated for both the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup, as well as the G1 Dubai Turf. Last year's Dubai World Cup winner for Bob Baffert, Country Grammer was joined on the flight by G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint second Gunite...

When Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) provided Japan with a breakthrough victory in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, Tom Ryan, one of the key men behind the lucrative two-day meeting, punched the proverbial air. Of all the results possible in the big race, a Japanese victory would have been right up there as the most desirable for a relatively new fixture on the international racing circuit, as extravagant the prize-money may be. Nobody understands this better than the County Tipperary native who swapped managing Naas racecourse for his current role...

Going into Saturday's Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, there was approximately one way that this year's results could better the massive success achieved by Japan in 2022. And who better to orchestrate it but trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who has won major races everywhere with the possible exception of Mars, as Hiroo Race Co. Ltd's Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), one of six top-shelf gallopers signed on from the Land of the Rising Sun and making just the second start of an already successful career on the...

Frankie Dettori, who is riding his final season in 2023, has been named a World Pool ambassador. The partnership will see the Italian write regular blogs and content in advance of World Pool racedays this year, beginning with the second day of the $30.35-million Saudi Cup meeting on Saturday, which features the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, and five Group 3 contests. Dettori, who is riding 2022 Saudi Cup runner-up Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the 1800-metre Group 1, said, "I've got a lot of different places to visit on my final...

Bob Baffert has issued an upbeat bulletin on his Saudi Cup contenders and said that, if for whatever reason his short-priced favourite Taiba (Gun Runner) does not get the job done, then stablemate and last year's runner-up Country Grammer (Tonalist) should be there to pick up the pieces in the world's richest race on Saturday.  The Saudi Cup is one of the only big dirt races that has eluded Baffert and, along with Country Grammer, the American handler has sent out Charlatan to fill the runner-up spot to Mishriff (Ire)...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA--Country Grammer (Tonalist) brings rock-solid credentials to the G1 Saudi Cup at Riyadh, according to his legendary rider Frankie Dettori, who says the Bob Baffert-trained 6-year-old can go one better than last year in Saturday's showpiece. Dettori also described Baffert's other runner in the race, the unexposed Taiba (Gun Runner), as a force to be reckoned with as the 52-year-old spoke alongside fellow luminary in the saddle, Joao Moreira, in the build-up to the world's richest race. "Country Grammer is very solid and never runs a bad race--touch...

A field of 13 was drawn Wednesday evening in Riyadh for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, to be contested over 1800 meters under the lights Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in the Saudi capital. Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Zedan Racing's Country Grammer (Tonalist) is back for another tour of the Middle East, having missed by a half-length in this event 12 months ago before landing the G1 Dubai World Cup some 600 miles to the east in Dubai. In stark contrast to 2022, the 6-year-old, who will carry the...