DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – When the racing people in Dubai laid out a grand vision for the Dubai World Cup meeting, a race like this year’s $5 million Duty Free could have been the blueprint. The field contains 10 Group 1 or Grade 1 winners, horses bred in nine different countries. Their major wins have come in the United States, England, France, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and Dubai. There are 14 horses in the Duty Free, a turf race over about 1 1/8 miles. It should be a battle royal. Almost any of them can win.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Mental’s first 12 starts came on turf in Australia, where the 5-year-old gelding was bred and based until being brought to Godolphin’s Marmoon Stables here late last year. The training track at Marmoon is composed of sand and dirt.

When Mental started Feb. 14 in the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint at Meydan, it was his first try on a synthetic surface, and trainer Mahmood al Zarooni had no idea what to expect.

“This horse, at home he shows you nothing,” al Zarooni said.

[bc_video_id:287588:]The 2013 Dubai World Cup card will feature 13 horses trained by South Africa's Mike de Kock. The trainer is represented by at least one starter in all nine races on the card.

[DUBAI WORLD CUP: Complete DRF coverage, live video from Meydan]

Dubai World Cup

It’s a Dundeel, who won the Group 1 Randwick Guineas on March 16, will be favored to win the second leg of Australia’s autumn triple crown in Saturday’s $520,000 Rosehill Guineas at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The three Japanese horses here in Dubai for World Cup Night took to the track at Meydan for the first time Monday morning. Keiai Leone, who starts in the UAE Derby, and Taisei Legend, who runs in the Golden Shaheen, didn’t appear to care for the experience in the least. Between the new surroundings and warmer air than back home, the two horses were drenched in sweat before they even began galloping a lap around the track. The third horse in the group couldn’t have looked different.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Royal Delta had the luck of the draw Wednesday, her connections landing the third pick of the post-position draw for the Dubai World Cup. Fellow American invader Animal Kingdom was less fortunate, with his connections getting the second-to-last pick among 13 entrants for Saturday’s $10 million World Cup.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Tuesday was a light training day for the two Dale Romans-trained horses here, with Dullahan going once around the main track at Meydan, and Little Mike jogging over the Tapeta surface on the training track located just southeast of the big track.

[DUBAI WORLD CUP: Complete DRF coverage, live video from Meydan]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Ocean Park lost the first start of his career at a small country track in New Zealand. His New Zealand-based trainer, Gary Hennessy, trains a small 10- to 12-horse string at his farm near the town of Matamata. He and his wife, Jenny, do much of the work themselves. But do not be led astray by obscure origins nor the NZ next to his name: Ocean Park appears to be a major contender in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free.

[DUBAI WORLD CUP: Complete DRF coverage, live video from Meydan]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Animal Kingdom is a tout. The horse cannot help himself. His coat is a rich chestnut, his physique sculpted and picturesque. And when Animal Kingdom is feeling good and doing well, he does not hide it out on the racetrack during morning training.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The last time Rene Douglas went to the races was May 23, 2009, and he left Arlington Park that day in an ambulance. The horse Douglas rode in his last race as a jockey, Born to Be, got into trouble at the end of the far turn, staggering and going down at the quarter pole, and when Born to Be fell, she landed on Douglas. Among his many injuries was one jockeys particularly dread: damage to the spinal cord.