DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Life Is Good was the star of Meydan morning training in the days leading to the 2022 World Cup. He finished fourth when it counted in the race itself, while the horse who had turned roughly zero heads during training hours, Country Grammer, was the star of the $12 million World Cup. Nothing as bright as Life Is Good lit up the Dubai darkness Monday morning, when Country Grammer, probably looking better than he did a year ago, put in his final breeze before trying to win his second World Cup here Saturday. With locally based Antonio Fresu in the irons, Country Grammer went through a five-furlong drill during which he had to maneuver around a horse blocking his path before the three-eighths pole on the far turn. Never a flashy work horse, Country Grammer strode out solidly past the wire and galloped out with good enough energy. “He knows what he’s doing,” said Fresu, who worked Country Grammer before the 2022 World Cup. “He doesn’t want to do too much.” Country Grammer is one of 15 horses expected to be entered Wednesday for the World Cup. The race is light on Americans, with Super Corinto the only U.S.-based horse other than Country Grammer in the race, but heavy on Japan-based horses. Eight of them are among the expected entrants. Panthalassa, wire-to-wire winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup last month, did not train at the main track Monday, nor did three other horses – Crown Pride, Geoglyph, and Jun Light Bolt – who all raced in the Saudi Cup, shipped directly to Dubai, and worked here Sunday morning. Vela Azul, winner of the 2022 Japan Cup, did some fast work on the main track and moved well over the dirt surface. Cafe Pharoah, also coming out of the Saudi Cup, had an easy main-track training session. Country Grammer for the second year in a row finished second in the Saudi Cup. Last season, he was coming off a nine-month layoff in Saudi Arabia, but this year, Country Grammer won the San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26 before returning to the Middle East. “I think he looks even better than last year,” said Jimmy Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert and the man who saddled Country Grammer here a year ago and will do so again Saturday with Baffert remaining in California. “It’s a lot for a horse to come off a long layoff, go a mile and an eighth off the long layoff, then go a mile and a quarter. He needed a little time off and he came back strong. We tried to stay with our program and from what he showed me this morning he’s right on track,” Barnes said. “He’s training the same way he trained in the United States and hasn’t backed off anything. He’s very forward; that’s all we can ask.” Six-year-old Country Grammer, by Tonalist, has gone through two extended layoffs during a career that included a trainer change from Chad Brown to Baffert. The horse is a grinder, tough as nails, who needs 1 1/4 miles to hit peak form. “He has a little bit of an attitude to him, but he’s pretty easy to work around. He will bite you,” Barnes said, holding out a bruised hand. “He bit me this morning. Maybe he was just feeling good.” All three Baffert-trained horses here for World Cup races worked Monday, with Worcester, who starts in the UAE Derby, and then Golden Shaheen starter Hopkins each going solo with Fresu aboard during the 7 a.m. training session. Hopkins, winner of the Grade 3 Palos Verdes in his most recent start, got over the surface well and looked sharp galloping out around the clubhouse turn. But things were more of a struggle for Worcester, a three-start maiden who finished third in the Robert Lewis Stakes last out and could be favored Saturday. He lost focus while looking around in the homestretch, failing to change leads as he stared at the huge video board, according to Fresu, who got after his mount to no real effect during the gallop-out. “He’s a lightly raced horse. He was looking at a few things – that’s what a young horse will do,” Barnes said. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.