Country Grammer followed up a strong second in the $20 million Saudi Cup with a upset win in the $12 million Dubai World Cup for embattled trainer Bob Baffert. Country Grammer, who won by 1 3/4 lengths, was ridden by the decorated European jockey Frankie Dettori.
Switzerland finished second in his first start, a maiden race on Feb. 15, 2017, at Gulfstream Park. Five years later, on Saturday night at Meydan Racecourse, Switzerland made his 27th start and won the biggest race of his life, the Group 1, $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen.
Crown Pride became the third Japan-based winner on the Dubai World Cup card, wearing down pacesetting Summer Is Tomorrow for a 2 3/4-length victory in the Group 2, $1 million UAE Derby.
Irish trainer Ado McGuinness hatched a three-race winter and spring plan for his fine turf sprinter A Case of You, who delivered a rousing 1 1/4-length victory Saturday at Meydan Racecourse in the Group 1, $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint.
The 2022 Dubai World Cup started off with a bomb as impossible longshot Bathrat Leon led all the way in the Group 2, $1 million Godolphin Mile. Stay Foolish was a much more logical of the card’s second race, the Group 2, $1 million Gold Cup at two miles, but what almost defies logic is all the international races Japan-based horses have generally been winning over the last five months and, specifically, those trained by Yoshito Yahagi.
With any luck, Beauty Fit would be on a two-race winning streak in advance of a start in a one-mile handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Sunday.
There are 14 Australian-bred 2-year-olds in Sunday’s $151,000 Wellington Boot at Wellington Racecourse in Australia – four winners and 10 maidens. In early betting on Friday, the maiden fillies Deep Expectation and Sweet Baby Boom were drawing more action than the two-time winner Last Bid Liam, a colt.
The 4-year-old colt Grenadier Guards and the 5-year-olds Resistencia and Salios can win their first Grade 1 races since their 2-year-old seasons in Sunday’s $2.69 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen at six furlongs on turf at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Sunday, March 27, 2022 at Sha Tin.
Spanish Mission, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred, made quite a splash in Australia with a third-place finish in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse last November in his first start in the country. The problem is Spanish Mission is now four races into his Australia career and has yet to win.
