Country Grammer gives Baffert, Dettori fourth win in Dubai World Cup
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Frankie Dettori turned back the clock and Bob Baffert won another Dubai World Cup as Country Grammer outstayed everyone and won a slow renewal of the $12 million Dubai World Cup by 1 3/4 lengths over Hot Rod Charlie on Saturday night at Meydan Racecourse.
Hot Rod Charlie, who came under a ride with six furlongs still left in the 1 1/4-mile race, plugged along to finish second. Chuwa Wizard, the last of a long procession of Japan-based horses to run well here Saturday night, ran on late for third, a half-length behind Hot Rod Charlie and a nose in front of beaten favorite Life Is Good, who led for the race’s first 1 1/16 miles and didn’t see out his first race beyond 1 1/8 miles.
Time for the 2,000 meters on a fast track that played to speed during the daylight portion of the card but evened out after nightfall was a tepid 2:04.97, the slowest-ever World Cup on dirt.
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The World Cup, the richest race in the world before the $20 million Saudi Cup came along in 2020, dates to 1996. So does Dettori.
“I was there for Cigar in the first World Cup. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life here,” Dettori said.
Dettori’s first World Cup winner was on Dubai Millennium in 2000, his second aboard Moon Ballad in 2003, his third with Electrocutionist in 2006. All three had come at the old Nad Al Sheba track and number four had been a long time coming. Dettori, 51, put in the work to get his mount home, waving his crop at Country Grammer as the field moved onto the far turn, riding him throughout the race’s second half. At a post-race press conference close to a half-hour after the victory, Dettori drank a couple bottles of water, wiped sweat off his brow, and took an early exit to hit the showers.
“He’s a big horse,” Dettori said, asked if Country Grammer required a lot of riding. “At the half-mile pole the two in front of me were going better. My horse didn’t have any legs. I thought I was riding for third.”
The two in front of Dettori and Country Grammer were Life Is Good, who had led from post 1, and Midnight Bourbon, who chased the leader. Dettori had flopped his mount out of the gate and stuck him down inside, right behind Life Is Good. “He told me in the paddock what his plan was, and he executed it to perfection,” said Jimmy Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, who didn’t make the trip for his fourth World Cup win.
Around the turn, Dettori threw a couple crosses at Country Grammer, thumping his mount’s rump with his crop to keep him in the race. He took Country Grammer to the outside and without ever delivering anything one might confuse with acceleration, started wearing down the top two.
Midnight Bourbon was the first to drop away, and before too much of the homestretch had been covered it became clear this also was not the night for Life Is Good, the 2-5 favorite. “I thought it looked like he traveled okay,” trainer Todd Pletcher said immediately after the race. If Life Is Good was going to get 1 1/4 miles, it is not going to be over a surface like the one he raced on Saturday. The 1,900-meter UAE Derby also was a slog, and this was a track that rewarded stamina over brilliance. Life Is Good has nothing if not brilliance, and when he couldn’t go fast enough to open a lead with 400 meters left, he simply got worn down by horses with more stay.
It was Country Grammer, now 2 for 2 at this trip, both wins in Grade or Group 1s, who suited the conditions.
“At the furlong pole it was surreal as I knew I was going to win. It's just unbelievable,” Dettori said.
Country Grammer came straight to Dubai after finishing a gutty second in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 26 and it wasn’t clear until fairly recently who even would ride him. Baffert and Dettori haven’t teamed up in at least 30 years, but it became apparent Dettori was the best available option.
Country Grammer began his career with trainer Chad Brown but was moved to Baffert after WinStar Farm acquired him through a dispersal of horses owned by the late Paul Pompa Jr. Amr Zedan’s Zedan Racing only came on as a partner a few months ago. Zedan was looking for a horse to run in the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup. Baffert helped recommend Country Grammer, who’d won the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in May 2021 but hadn’t raced again until he nearly won the Saudi Cup. Baffert had him ready not just for the comeback race, but to come back with something even better in Dubai.
Hot Rod Charlie, who’s been here since late January and won a prep race on Feb. 4, looked like he would run out of the money partway down the backstretch but persevered to finish second. Jockey Flavien Prat told trainer Doug O’Neill that Hot Rod Charlie had adequately handled the dirt kickback; O’Neill in post-race quotes mulled putting blinkers back on Hot Rod Charlie for his next start. Chuwa Wizard was third this year after his second to Mystic Guide in 2021. Fifth-place Midnight Bourbon didn’t quite stay and was followed home by Remorse, Hypothetical, Aero Trem, Real World, and Magny Cours.
Country Grammer paid $20.10 to win and earned his connections just under $7 million. By Tonalist out of Arabian Song, by Forestry, Country Grammer would get a break at WinStar as connections plot a campaign for the second half of the season. With two starts, a win, and a second and more than $10 million in earnings, the first part of it has gone fairly well.