Ever since Cigar shipped for the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996, the race has strongly been flavored by American participation. Deluxe Meydan Racecourse, which replaced the old Nad Al Sheba course, opened in 2010 with a synthetic surface, but after American participation waned during the early Meydan years, dirt replaced synthetic. American horses have won four of the seven World Cups on Meydan dirt. But the dynamic has shifted again. Two Americans, Country Grammer and the huge longshot Super Corinto, are among the 15 expected runners in the $12 million World Cup on March 25, a race expected to include eight Japan-based horses. As many as 24 Japanese horses could start in the eight Thoroughbred races on the World Cup card. Among the lists of anticipated runners are 11 Americans. :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play with FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Not that Country Grammer is some throwaway. Country Grammer finished second Feb. 25 in the $20 million Saudi Cup, just as he did before winning the 2022 Dubai World Cup. Last year, Country Grammer gutted out a tough Meydan victory over the American horse Hot Rod Charlie, with Americans Life Is Good and Midnight Bourbon fourth and fifth. The lone Japan-based starter, Chuwa Wizard, nabbed third. This year, Japanese horsemen seem intent on winning their first World Cup since Victoire Pisa captured the 2011 renewal over Meydan’s defunct synthetic track. Among the eight probable runners next weekend is Panthalassa, who went wire to wire beating Country Grammer in the Saudi Cup, a one-turn, 1 1/8-mile race compared to the two-turn, 1 1/4-mile World Cup. Panthalassa came straight to Dubai from Saudi Arabia as did Japan-based Cafe Pharoah, Geoglyph, Crown Pride, and Jun Light Bolt, respectively third, fourth, fifth, and seventh in the Saudi Cup. Shipping from Japan to Dubai are three others – T O Keynes, Ushba Tesoro, and Vela Azul. Emblem Road, the Saudi-based horse who won the 2022 Saudi Cup and was sixth in the race last month, also is a likely starter, as are Salute the Soldier and Bendoog, first and second March 4 in Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan. Dubai-based Remorse will be a World Cup longshot, but Algiers, who has been racing in Dubai all winter, figures among the race favorites. Algiers sat out Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge after dominating rounds 1 and 2. The $6 million Sheema Classic, at 1 1/2 miles on turf, will be the best race of the night. The expected 13-runner group includes last year’s winner, Shahryar, far from a standout among three Japan-based hopes. Four-year-old Equinox won the Grade 1 Arima Kinen and the Grade 1 Tenno Sho Autumn in his last two starts after finishing second by a neck in the Japanese Derby. Win Marilyn landed the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase in his most recent outing. Rebel’s Romance, trained by Charlie Appleby in Dubai, won the Breeders’ Cup Turf in his most recent start, while Westover was a smashing winner of the 2022 Irish Derby. Trainer John Gosden said Friday that Emily Upjohn, listed as a likely Sheema runner, won’t be shipping from England, but Gosden plans to start Mostahdaf, a seven-length winner of the Neom Turf Cup last month in Saudi Arabia. Among 16 listed as likely runners in the $5 million Dubai Turf over 1 1/8 miles is Lord North, who won the race outright in 2021 and dead-heated last year with Panthalassa. He’ll have two serious Japan-based horses to deal with in Do Deuce, who won the Japanese Derby over Equinox, and Serifos, who comes off a career-best winning the Grade 1 Mile Championship at Hanshin. Also expected to start is Shirl’s Speight, trained by Canadian Roger Attfield for Canadian Charles Fipke. Gunite is the best hope among four Americans in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, a dirt sprint also expected to draw Americans C Z Rocket, Sibelius, and Hopkins. One American horse, Cazadero, runs in a sub-standard renewal of the Al Quoz Sprint over six furlongs on turf, while Bob Baffert, who trains Country Grammer and Hopkins, has Worcester for the $1 million UAE Derby. Doug O’Neill has two UAE Derby hopes, Tall Boy and Ah Geez. The World Cup, Sheema Classic, and Dubai Turf will be drawn and post positions assigned Wednesday; the rest of the races will drawn Monday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.