Corine Barande-Barbe celebrated her 54th birthday in grand style Saturday night at Meydan, becoming the first woman trainer to win a Thoroughbred race on Dubai World Cup night as Cirrus des Aigles held off Breeders' Cup Turf winner St Nicholas Abbey to win the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic by a neck.
On a night of mixed emotions at Meydan, Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing celebrated a return to prominence on its biggest stage, running one-two in the $10 million Dubai World Cup with Monterosso defeating Capponi by three lengths.
Travelin Man apparently would prefer to stay put right here at Gulfstream Park. He won his fourth race in five Gulfstream starts on Saturday when he outdueled Jersey Town, the 2010 Cigar Mile winner, in the $70,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes for older sprinters.
Taking advantage of a hotly contested pace, Krypton Factor rallied four wide in the stretch and overtook Rocket Man with about 30 yards to go to win the $2 million Golden Shaheen by 2 1/4 lengths at Meydan on Saturday.
A powerful late kick by the 7-year-old mare Ortensia carried her from last to first in Saturday’s $1 million Al Quoz Sprint, setting off a celebration from Meydan to Austraila.
The $5 million Dubai Duty Free was considered a wide-open race, but Cityscape turned it into a one-horse show, taking the lead midway around the far turn and galloping to a 4 1/4-length victory in course-record time.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien said Daddy Longs, a 1 1/4-length winner in Saturday's $2 million UAE Derby, and third-place finisher Wrote are likely headed to the Kentucky Derby.
Dubai racing officials called off the running of the $1 million Gold Cup midway through the two-mile race after a horse broke down in the stretch the first time around the course and could not be moved.
Godolphin continued its dominance of the $1 million Godolphin Mile on Saturday as African Story rolled to a four-length victory over Viscount Nelson at Meydan.
On Friday, trainer Mike de Kock sat down for one of the few interviews he’s given all week to discuss his stable’s chances on World Cup night.
