There are two things to remember about the dirt course at Nad Al Sheba, where the Emirates Racing Association's $15 million Dubai World Cup card will be run on Saturday night (Saturday morning in the U.S.).

One is that it was made to resemble that of Churchill Downs so that Godolphin horses might become acquainted with the surface for the Kentucky Derby. Second, and more importantly, its stretch is 2 1/2 furlongs long. This gives stayers and closers a better chance than they might have on American tracks with short stretches.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia d'Oro, the top older horses in the United States, seek higher acclaim Saturday when they clash in the world's richest race, the $6 million at Nad Al Sheba racecourse.

A victory carries the title of top dirt horse in the world, and there is a prize of $3.6 million for the winner.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Cajun Beat was a 22-1 outsider when he won the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita last October, but he will be strongly favored Saturday in the $2 million Golden Shaheen Sprint at Nad Al Sheba.

American shippers will try to win the race for the fourth time in the last five years. Cajun Beat is one of five Americans in the Golden Shaheen, a six-furlong sprint that is run on a straightaway. The others are Alke, Our New Recruit, Tour of the Cat, and Tsigane.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The $1 million Godolphin Mile on Saturday at Nad Al Sheba racecourse can revive the career of Excessivepleasure or continue a strong 2004 campaign for During.

The Godolphin Mile is run on dirt, and is one of five major stakes that support the $6 million . The others are the $2 million Sheema Classic, $2 million Dubai Duty Free Stakes, $2 million UAE Derby, and $2 million Golden Shaheen.

Excessivepleasure won three stakes last year, but was badly beaten in two starts at Santa Anita in January.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - After traveling without incident to the other side of the world and appearing to train well in recent days, Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia d'Oro, the first two finishers in the Breeders' Cup Classic last October, drew favorable post positions Wednesday for Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba racecourse.

Medaglia d'Oro, the winner of the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 7, drew post 11 in the 12-horse field. He is expected to show speed under jockey Jerry Bailey and can stalk the pace or lead from that post.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The Maktoum family's Godolphin Racing will not have a runner in the Kentucky Derby this year, but could send a European-based horse for the Belmont Stakes in June, Godolphin's racing manager, Simon Crisford, said Wednesday.

If Godolphin is represented in the final leg of the Triple Crown, it probably won't be with one of the top 2-year-olds that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum had in the United States last year, such as Ruler's Court, the 14-length winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita, or the highly promising maiden winner Rosberg.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - This year, trainer Richard Mandella may go from a supporting role to the star of the post-race ceremony for Saturday's Dubai World Cup.

Through the years, Mandella's record in the rich race is remarkable, considering he has yet to win it. From 1996 to 2000, Mandella had six runners, no wins, three seconds, a third, two fourth-place finishes, and a staggering $3.5 million in earnings.

Some of the close calls have provided racing with highly memorable moments, but left Mandella wondering what it will take to win the World Cup.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Jose Cuevas, the exercise rider who accompanied Medaglia d'Oro to the Middle East for Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup, took a long look at the Nad Al Sheba racetrack on Tuesday morning and let out an audible sigh.

"That's a long stretch," he said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - American sprinters pretty much have their rivals surrounded in Saturday's $2 million Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba.

The five U.S.-based entrants drew posts toward the inside and on the outside in the six-furlong race, which is run on a straightaway.

Cajun Beat, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Sprint last October, drew post 3, inside of Tsigane and Tour of the Cat, who drew posts 4 and 5. The California-based Our New Recruit will start from post 10, while the Florida-based stakes winner Alke breaks from the outside in the field of 12.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Anxious moments have become commonplace with Pleasantly Perfect this month.

Three weeks ago, Pleasantly Perfect was scratched from the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap after developing a temperature a day before the race. He would have been heavily favored.

Monday, during a gallop at Nad Al Sheba racecourse in preparation for Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup, Pleasantly Perfect threw a shoe during a gallop. Fortunately for owner Gerald Ford and trainer Richard Mandella, Pleasantly Perfect suffered no damage to his right front foot.