U.S. contingent on the grounds for Dubai World Cup card

Even as North American racetracks one by one cease racing this week in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the Dubai World Cup card on March 28 appears likely to come off as scheduled.

Ten American horses shipped from Florida on Tuesday and arrived Wednesday in Dubai, joining a string of Doug O’Neill-trained horses who’ve been stabled in Dubai since February and several horses that shipped to Dubai after racing in the Saudi Cup on Feb. 29. That group includes Mucho Gusto and Tacitus, who will be among the favorites in the $12 million World Cup, and Imperial Hint, who threw a clunker in his Saudi start but can contend in the Golden Shaheen with a return to his more typical performance level.

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A handful of European horses were en route to Dubai on Friday, but trainer John Gosden pulled Star Catcher, one of Europe’s best fillies in 2019, from the Dubai Turf because of travel concerns. In an even more important development, Aidan O’Brien, an annual participant in the World Cup card, pulled his entire team of runners from this year’s event. The Dubai Racing Club had listed eight O’Brien-trained horses among the likely runners in races on the World Cup program.

Despite all the defections from Europe and North America, Japanese horses have traveled en masse to Dubai and will be well represented in many of the major races, particularly the $6 million Dubai Turf, which includes the race’s 2019 winner, Almond Eye, as well as Admire Mars and Win Bright, both of whom won Group 1 races in Hong Kong this past December.

As for the World Cup itself, the dozen horses listed as likely runners earlier this week remained probable to start as of Friday. The likely favorites are Mucho Gusto, who will be ridden by William Buick; Benbatl, with Christophe Soumillon; and Tacitus, who was scheduled to be ridden by John Velazquez. Many American jockeys already have declined to travel to Dubai for the World Cup, but as of Friday Velazquez wasn’t one of them. The other horses expected to be among the final World Cup entries on Wednesday are Chrysoberyl, Chuwa Wizard, Gold Dream, and Master Fencer from Japan; American horses Sir Winston (Frankie Dettori to ride) and Math Wizard (jockey uncertain as of Friday); and Dubai-based Gronkowski and Matterhorn.

As with most racing around the world, the Dubai World Cup card will be run without a live crowd.