Dubai World Cup

With two weeks remaining until the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse, riding assignments for the American raiders are coming into focus. Perhaps the best chance for U.S. victory on the program, champion and recent G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint hero Straight No Chaser (Speightster) will look for more desert riches in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen with his regular rider John Velazquez back in the irons. The veteran reinsman's agent Kiaran McLaughlin also confirmed that Velazquez has the call aboard Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) for trainer Antonio Sano...

Lucky Seven Stable and Sharaf Mohamed Alhairi's Rattle N Roll (Connect), who rallied from the back of the back to finish a creditable fifth to Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 22, has officially been invited to participate in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse Apr. 5, trainer Ken McPeek tweeted Mar. 21. The 6-year-old failed to draw into last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic and was rerouted for the GII Clark Stakes Nov....

Recently-pensioned stallion and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Roses In May (Devil His Due) died Tuesday at Japan's Big Red Farm according to a report by Japanese media Wednesday. An article linked on social media reads in part: "Roses in May died on the evening of the 4th due to inability to stand. During his active career, he won the GI Whitney Handicap in 2004 and the G1 Dubai World Cup in 2005, and became a breeding stallion at Big Red Farm, siring Dream Valentino, who won five major races...

With less than five weeks remaining to Dubai World Cup night at the sprawling Meydan Racecourse Apr. 5, the American challenge for the $12-million main event is coming together, with at least two U.S.-based middle-distance gallopers targeting the 2000-meter contest. Wathnan Racing's Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) has come out of his distant third-place effort to 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) in Saturday's GI Santa Anita Handicap in good order and connections have accepted an invitation to the World Cup, Case Clay, Wathnan's U.S. advisor, confirmed Sunday. "Will pow-wow...

Four Group 1 races on the Dubai World Cup card this coming April will all offer 'Win and You're In' benefits for the 2025 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar, the organization announced Sunday afternoon. The marquee G1 Dubai World Cup, G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, and the G1 Dubai Turf join the list of top international races which provide complimentary entries into the World Championships. The World Cup serves as an automatic qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic; the Golden Shaheen for the...

Juddmonte Farms's Laurel River (Into Mischief) has been removed from consideration for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 22 after picking up a minor injury that will require 'two weeks' rest', according to a tweet from racing personality Nick Luck, who was first to report the news. "Just a knock apparently, but it prevented him from getting in a critical workout before traveling," Juddmonte USA's General Manager Garrett O'Rourke said in a text message. "Will wait for the Dubai World Cup." Trained by Bhupat Seemar, the homebred 7-year-old demolished...

Eclipse Award-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) is recovering from an abscess on his coronet band, forcing Chad Brown to scrub a key workout, and the conditioner confirmed that the reigning GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner will be forced to skip the G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh on Feb. 22. "I couldn't really work him, so I just kind of played it safe and skipped it, which takes him out of the Saudi race," Brown told the TDN by phone early Wednesday afternoon. "It's...

Previously better known for his inability to finish off his races,  Walk of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) seems to have put those bad habits behind him, as he well and truly stamped his authority on Friday's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan, leading home a 1-2 finish for the Bhupat Seemar yard and his legendary sire. Runner-up in last year's G2 Godolphin Mile after looking home free, Walk of Stars was second on seasonal reappearance in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile Nov. 22, but was sent straight into the lead...

Twice a winner at group level on foreign soil and placed in two of America's greatest races in 2024, Susumu Fujita's Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) patched the one hole that existed in an already remarkable career, coming from just off the speed before proving comfortably best in a high-class renewal of the G1 Toyko Daishoten at Ohi Racecourse. In defeating the consistent Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and fellow 3-year-old Ramjet (Jpn) (Majestic Warrior), the son of US Grade II winner Forever Darling (Congrats) was succeeding for...

It isn't that they weren't expected to perform--each was sent away at 1-10 favouritism--but reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and new sprint sensation Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) gave the Sha Tin faithful and a broader audience worldwide exactly what they wanted at Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting. Romantic Warrior, purchased by Mick Kinane for 300,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls October Sale as a prospect for the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Hong Kong International Sale, took out the G1 Longines...

Former jockey Aaron Gryder and five-time Eclipse Award-winning writer Jay Hovdey will be on hand at the upcoming Global Symposium on Racing to sign copies of Well Armed: A Thoroughbred of Destiny. The signing will take place on the afternoon of Dec. 10, at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. The just-published book is a story about the son of Tiznow, bred and raced by WinStar Farm, who overcame many physical setbacks to win the 2009 G1 Dubai World Cup by a whopping 14 lengths. The story is...

Reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and emerging sprint star Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) laid down their markers for the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting in three weeks' time with arrogant victories in Sunday's G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup and G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint at Sha Tin Racecourse, respectively. The second-named saw the 1200-metre course record, held for the last 17 years by the outstanding Sacred Kingdom (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), come tumbling down in a sublime...