need in one place
After a fruitless overseas journey to Dubai, the six American-based Thoroughbreds who competed on Dubai World Cup day at Meydan were expected to arrive in New York on Wednesday. Following a brief quarantine period at Belmont Park, those horses will return to their different bases as their connections plot out their next moves.
Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso will be campaigned in England this summer, with a trip to Singapore in May under consideration.
After Saturday’s $10 million World Cup, trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni said a long-range goal for Monterosso will be the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. On Sunday, Simon Crisford, the racing manager for winning owner Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing, told the Racing Post in England that a trip to Singapore for the $2.4 million Singapore Cup over about 1 1/4 miles on turf on May 20 is a possibility.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Opinion Poll won the $1 million Dubai Gold Cup, capping a three-win night for Godolphin Racing, but that was far from the story of this ill-fated race at Meydan.
Two horses died in two separate runnings of this two-mile turf race, and a third horse suffered a hind leg injury.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – 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.
It was 3 1/2 lengths back to Jakalberry in third.
Though Barande-Barbe said “it is normal” for her to win big races, she did say “you must underline that” when asked about becoming the first woman trainer to win on the world’s richest program.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - 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.
However, the victory came on a night when two horses died - including one of Godolphin’s - after management made a questionable decision to re-run the $1 million Gold Cup after having to scrap it when Godolphin’s Fox Hunt suffered a fatal injury during the earlier scheduled running.
Jay Privman
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – 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.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - 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.
Rocket Man, who won this race last year, held second by two lengths over Lucky Nine. The Factor never fired and finished sixth, while Giant Ryan faded to fifth, beaten nine lengths, after dueling with Rocket Man.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - 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.
Ortensia, an Australian-bred daughter of Testa Rossa, was last of 15 runners early on, but was moved widest of all with less than a quarter-mile to run and she outfinished Sole Power by 1 1/4 lengths. It was a neck back to Joy and Fun in third. ortensi paid $7.20 in United States betting pools.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - 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.
Cityscape, a 6-year-old son of Selkirk, ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.65, lowering the mark of 1:48.74 set by Mahbooba earlier in this meet.
“The turn of foot he has is amazing, he just kept finding more,’’ winning rider James Doyle said.