Obscure Dubai connections double up

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Forty minutes after winning their first-ever Dubai World Cup card race with Gladiatorus in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free, Dubai-based trainer Mubarak bin Shafya and apprentice jockey Ahmad Ajtebi won a second when Eastern Anthem came from far back to win the $5 million Sheema Classic in a three-horse photo. Eastern Anthem, rallying three wide, was up by a nose over Spanish Moon, who was a nose in front of Purple Moon.

Eastern Anthem won for the third time this winter in Dubai, but - somewhat amazingly - had never won even a listed stakes race in a nine-start career.

Eastern Anthem paid $39.20 to win. The exacta returned $641.40 and the trifecta was worth $5,180.00