American Post begins what is expected to be a high-profile season at Saint-Cloud on Wednesday in the Prix Omnium II, a one-mile listed event in which he will face four rivals.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - When it comes to sprinting or racing 1 1/4 miles on dirt, American horses are supposed to be best, and they lived up to their reputation Saturday night on the Dubai World Cup program at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.

Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia d'Oro finished one-two in the $6 million Dubai World Cup at 1 1/4 miles, and Our New Recruit, of California, scored a surprising victory over Alke, from Florida, in the $2 million Golden Shaheen sprint.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - There can be no doubt that Pleasantly Perfect is the world's top-ranked dirt horse.

Five months after winning the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita, Pleasantly Perfect scored a gutty victory over Medaglia d'Oro in Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba on a warm desert night in the Middle East.

"This is incredible," said winning owner Gerald Ford, of Dallas. "If anyone else is better, they haven't shown up."

The one-two finish marked the second time Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia d'Oro had finished 1-2

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Our New Recruit was sent from his California base to the other side of the world to win his first stakes in Saturday's $2 million Golden Shaheen Sprint at Nad Al Sheba.

Ridden by Alex Solis for CRK Stables and trainer John Sadler, Our New Recruit outfinished Alke, an invader from Florida, to win by two lengths.

Our New Recruit ran six furlongs on the straightaway course in 1:10.30. Locally based Conroy finished third.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Jockey Gary Stevens launched his season-long partnership with French trainer Andre Fabre with a dramatic victory in the $2 million Sheema Classic aboard Polish Summer.

Racing in mid-pack for most of the about 1 1/2 miles on turf, Stevens waited until late stretch to ask his mount.

Polish Summer quickly responded to catch an unlucky Hard Buck, the winner of the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap last month. Scott's View finished third in the field of 13. Polish Summer was timed in 2:31.09.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Firebreak successfully defended his title in the $1 million Godolphin Mile, easily beating the American duo of Excessivepleasure and During.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Firebreak stalked pacesetter During and Estimraar until early stretch and pulled clear to win by 4 1/2 lengths. He was timed in 1:35.82.

Tropical Star rallied from sixth to finish second, 2 3/4 lengths in front of Excessivepleasure. During faded to finish sixth of nine, beaten 11 3/4 lengths.

Excessivepleasure broke a length slow and stalked the pace to early stretch.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Lundy's Liability won the $2 million UAE Derby, leading a sweep of the first three positions by South American-breds. Petit Paris and Little Jim finished second and third.

Lundy's Liability races for a partnership and is trained by Michael de Kock, who won the 2004 UAE Derby with Victory Moon.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Paolini and Right Approach finished in a dead heat for first in the $2 million Dubai Duty Free, arriving at the wire together after rallying from the back of the field.

Paolini was forced to check early in the long stretch. He recovered and rallied from last of 11 in the final quarter-mile. Right Approach was last with three furlongs remaining.

Paolini is trained in Germany by Andreas Wohler and was ridden by Eduardo Pedroza.

Right Approach is trained by de Kock and was ridden by Marwing.

NEW YORK - A beefed up schedule of group races for older fillies and mares, a healthy number of top-class older horses remaining in training, and a 3-year-old crop that looks vastly superior to that in America are just some of the anticipated highlights of the nascent European racing season.