DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Japanese long have coveted an elusive win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. For now, they seem intent on winning another Group 1, 1 1/2-mile turf race, one in which they have multiple successes, the $6 million Sheema Classic, the supporting feature on the Dubai World Cup card Saturday at Meydan Racecourse.
The great mare Gentildonna, home by 1 1/2 lengths in 2014, was the last of three previous Japan-based Sheema winners.
Police in France and two other European countries on Tuesday took 27 people people involved in horse racing into custody in an investigation centered on the use of illegal substances, according to multiple media reports.
According to the reports, the individuals arrested included vets, pharmacists, and trainers, including two Standardbred trainers and one Thoroughbred trainer. While 25 of the arrests occurred in France, one person was taken into custody in Spain, and another person was “interviewed” in a third country in Europe, the reports said.
Marabi is 3-5 to win Friday’s Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne and extend her unbeaten record to eight races. Last year on the Reid undercard, Marabi won a handicap and didn’t run again until November. In recent months, Marabi has won three stakes, including her Group 1 debut in the Oakleigh Plate at 5 1/2 furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse on Feb. 26.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The horse came from Russia, the jockey from Sardinia, the jockey’s agent from Baltimore. It is quite the unlikely assemblage of personal histories that just might come together and win the $1 million UAE Derby here Saturday.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The strike rate, established from a tiny sample, stands at perfection.
Twice in the 25-year history of the Dubai World Cup has an American horse shipped early to Dubai and started in a February prep before running in the World Cup itself.
Curlin arrived Feb. 17, 2008, won the 2,000-meter Jaguar XF Trophy Handicap on Feb. 28 by 2 3/4 lengths while giving his rivals 15 pounds, then came back March 29 to win the World Cup by nearly eight lengths at the old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.
Course experience may boost Halo Warrior when the 5-year-old gelding makes his sixth career start at Albury Racecourse in Australia in Thursday’s Barlens City Handicap at about six furlongs.
Halo Warrior has won 3 of 5 starts at Albury, including a six-furlong handicap on Feb. 10. Nine days later, Halo Warrior was only ninth of 16 in a regional qualifier for a lucrative stakes in April at Wagga Wagga Racecourse.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The top-rated horse in America will break from post 1 Saturday night at Meydan Racecourse, where Life Is Good can provide trainer Todd Pletcher with his first Dubai World Cup win.
Life Is Good’s jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., has one job in the World Cup – get his mount out of the gate. Life Is Good’s game is speed. He was going to the lead regardless of his draw. The rail just means there is no margin for error at the break.
“It’s the shortest way around,” said Pletcher, whose top World Cup finish was Harlan’s Holiday’s second in 1999.
Copartner Fionn was a three-time winner in New Zealand in 2021, including his final two starts in that country last July.
Copartner Fionn was later sent to Hong Kong where he finished a good third in his debut in a six-furlong handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse on Feb. 20. With that race, and the benefit of a recent workout from the gate, Copartner Fionn will be a factor in his second Hong Kong start, a Class 3 handicap at about a mile, Wednesday’s ninth and final race at Happy Valley Racecourse.
The lightly raced 4-year-old Logan Street Lion has adapted to tougher handicap divisions in recent months in Australia.
After a second in early January, in his first start since May, Logan Street Lion has won consecutive starts in seven-furlong handicaps at Sandown Park in Melbourne, easily handling a jump to a tougher handicap group in the second of those wins.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Japanese breeding industry in the later years of the 20th century set about acquiring many of the best broodmares and broodmare prospects in the world. And as a result, Japanese racehorses have increasingly been making their presence felt all over the world.
