Girl power could hold sway in the $1 million UAE Derby, where the 3-year-old filly Polar River will be heavily favored, and the main chance at an upset comes from another filly, the Argentine-bred Vale Dori.
Godolphin from the front, or Godolphin from behind? That could prove the pivotal question Saturday in the $6 million Dubai Turf, in which Godolphin horses could be racing first and last in the early stages of the 1 1/8-mile grass race.
Only nine horses are entered in the $6 million Sheema Classic at Meydan on Saturday. Divide them by three to get to the Sheema's heart: Postponed, Highland Reel, and Duramente.
This year's edition of the $10 million Dubai World Cup includes U.S. stars California Chrome, Frosted, Mshawish, Keen Ice, and Hoppertunity, all Grade 1 dirt winners. It's seems a near-certainty that an American wins the World Cup after last year's upset by Prince Bishop. Isn't it?
On the bare face of things, the decision to use blinkers on Dubai World Cup starter Keen Ice is unusual. But the unusual nature of the change runs still deeper: trainer Dale Romans does whatever he can to avoid using blinkers under any circumstances.
When Todd Pletcher's first starter in Dubai, Harlan's Holiday, finished second in the 2003 World Cup, it seemed a fait accompli that the trainer would win a race here, and probably the World Cup itself, before long. Thirteen years and 10 runners later, Pletcher still seeks his first win in Dubai.
California Chrome will break from post 11 in a field of 12 Saturday night when he attempts to become the third Kentucky Derby winner to capture the Dubai World Cup, following Silver Charm and Animal Kingdom.
Mongolian Saturday, the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner, and most recently fifth Dec. 13 in the Hong Kong Sprint, was scratched Tuesday from Saturday’s $1 million Al Quoz Sprint. Mongolian Saturday reportedly suffered shipping sickness after arriving in Dubai last week.
Trainer Jorge Navarro runs a large string in Florida, but he has been in Dubai now for close to two weeks, having arrived two days before X Y Jet, the horse he starts Saturday in the Golden Shaheen. It’s a significant time commitment, and Navarro hopes it pays off Saturday night.
Basically, since Mubtaahij crossed the wire eight lengths best last March 28 in the UAE Derby, Saturday’s Dubai World Cup has been his major objective. But the race is nearly upon us, and hardly anyone this week is viewing Mubtaahij as a major World Cup contender.
