The opulent Dubai World Cup is on tap on Saturday at Meydan Racecourse and Arrogate didn’t scare anybody away. A total of 13 rivals will challenge the superstar in the $10 million about mile and a quarter classic.
They don’t call it the Dubai World Cup for nothing as horses have gathered from around the globe.
Awardee is in from Japan. The veteran has won 10 of his 34 starts and has earned over $3.4 million. He was in the exacta in all six races last year, winning four of them.
Gold Dream opened his 2017 campaign winning the February Stakes in Tokyo. He will not be intimidated by the big field as he has beaten huge fields in the past.
Gun Runner could be chasing the rainbow here but he sure belongs. He was third in Arrogate’s Travers Stakes win last year. He closed out 2016 with a win in the Grade 1 Clark and opened this year winning the Grade 3 Razorback at Oaklawn Park.
Hoppertunity always needs things to unfold perfectly because he has limited speed. That is precisely what happened last time in the San Antonio Stakes when he came from dead last and ten lengths back. He was third in the Dubai World Cup last year, beaten by California Chrome.
Keen Ice is far from a win machine. He has only chilled his opponents twice in his career and his last win was in the 2015 Travers Stakes. He never threatened when eighth in the Dubai World Cup last year.
One thing Lani has going for him is that he is proven on the Meydan surface. He won the UAE Derby last year and that propelled him to three appearances in the Triple Crown. He was troubled in the Kentucky Derby. He closed okay in the Preakness and then ran third only beaten a length and a half in the Belmont Stakes.
Move Up seems to have his work cut out for him. His last win came in Turkey against just five rivals.
Long River carries the local hopes but he will likely need the race of his life. He was out of the money in all four efforts last year but rebounded for a win on March 4 on this track.
Mubtaahij is trained by world-class conditioner Michael de Kock. The runner punched his ticket to the 2015 Kentucky Derby by winning the UAE Derby that year and his best race since was a second to Shaman Ghost in the Woodward last year. That race puts him in the conversation.
Neolithic appears to be a bit overmatched. Sure, he was third to Arrogate in the Pegasus World Cup but somebody had to be third. His only win vs. winners came in an entry-level allowance at Gulfstream Park.
Special Fighter just lost to Long River but he ran fourth in the Dubai World Cup last year.
Furia Cruzada has been in a bit of a funk. He has only won once in the last two years and it came by a scant nose.
Of course, Arrogate is the one to deny. The Bob Baffert student has won six straight. He was absolutely sensational last year stringing together the Travers Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic. His Pegasus World Cup victory was also outstanding. His last three Beyer Speed Figures of 122, 120 and 119 are out of this world. He has not missed a beat in the mornings since he returned to work on February 14.
Bob Baffert will be looking for his third Dubai World Cup victory. He won with Silver Charm in 1998 and three years later his Captain Steve won this race. Baffert was worried about the post-position draw and he didn’t want the rail. He got his wish as Arrogate is ideally placed in post nine. What this post does for Arrogate is it gives the runner options. When a racer draws the rail, his hand can be forced. Thoroughbreds are basically herd animals and runners generally run more efficiently when they are allowed to be outside of rivals.
For Arrogate’s opponents, this race could be a ‘cat and mouse’ game. If a rival uses his early and tries to keep up with Arrogate, his chances could be compromised. If runners hold back and just hope Arrogate wilts or doesn’t fire his best shot, it becomes a passive exercise.
The bottom line is that Arrogate’s rivals better have their jet shoes on if they are thinking upset.
