Dubai World Cup: Re-run Gold Cup has one winner, two fatalities, and an injury

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Opinion Poll won the $1 million Dubai Gold Cup, capping a three-win night for Godolphin Racing, but that was far from the story of this ill-fated race at Meydan.

Two horses died in two separate runnings of this two-mile turf race, and a third horse suffered a hind leg injury.

The race was scheduled as the third on the night, but had to be called off by racing officials when Fox Hunt suffered a fatal foreleg injury about an eighth of a mile into the race. The other riders were ordered to pull up their horses by a racing official riding in a vehicle outside the turf course when it became evident Fox Hunt could not be moved.

Dubai racing officials decided to ask the connections of each of the other horses if they wanted to run the race following the Dubai World Cup. According to Frank Gabriel, CEO of Dubai Racing, all the horses also went under a veterinary exam and were cleared to run. Gabriel said if the connections chose not to run they would have had their entry fee refunded.

Gabriel said all the connections agreed to run. During the re-running of the race, Bronze Cannon suffered a fatal injury to his left front leg and Grand Vent pulled up.

Gabriel said he had no regrets about running the race a second time.

"No, no, no," he said. "It's unfortunate that injuries happen in racing. It was a decision that management made and as long as there was clearance from the vets and the acceptance of each individual [horseman]. We made it clear it wasn't something they had to do, they could choose not to do."