by Steve Bailey

Horse of the Year Curlin and Grade 2 winner A. P. Arrow, two of four United States-based horses entered for this year's $6-million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), drew the outside post positions in the 13-horse field on Wednesday evening in Dubai.

Curlin drew post 12 with A. P. Arrow on the far outside in post 13 for the world's most lucrative Thoroughbred race on Saturday night at Nad al Sheba racecourse.

Curlin, who will be ridden by regular rider Robby Albarado, already has a victory over the triangular-shaped track that features a long stretch, capturing a 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) handicap race by 2 ¼ lengths on February 28.

"He has a tendency to run better the second time he runs over a course," said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. "The timing [of that race], about a month between races, also was about perfect for him.

"With the configuration of the racetrack, [Robby] should be able to put himself in good position."

The other two U.S.-based horses in the field, Grade 2 winner Well Armed and Grade 1 winner Great Hunter, drew posts two and five, respectively.

The rest of the field, from the rail out: Sway Yed, Happy Boy, Kocab, Premium Tap, Vermilion, Jalil, Asiatic Boy, Lucky Find, and Gloria de Campeao. The 13 horses entered equal the most in the race's history.

Michael Paulson, owner of A. P. Arrow, said 13 could prove to be his lucky number for the 13th running of the Dubai World Cup. His father, the late Allen Paulson, campaigned the winner of the inaugural Dubai World Cup, Cigar.

"We'll have Curlin in our sights the whole way around," Paulson said with a laugh of the outside post. "I mean, what better omen could you have? My dad was always a numbers guy and I'm a numbers guy, too. I think he'll be here in spirit to enjoy this with us."

Full fields of 16 were drawn for each of the two $5-million turf races on the card—the 1,777-meter (8.83-furlong) Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1) and the 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1).

Multiple Grade 1 winner Better Talk Now and Grade 2 winner Spring House drew posts six and 11, respectively, for the Sheema Classic, while the only U.S.-based horse in the field for the Dubai Duty Free, Grade 2 winner Notional, drew the far inside post.

Post positions for the other three Thoroughbred races on the card were drawn on Monday and released Wednesday night. Five American horses drew into the field of 15 for the Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1), a sprint race dominated by U.S.-based horses in recent years.

Barbecue Eddie and Bushwacker will start on the inside in posts two and three, respectively, while Idiot Proof drew post 14 in the field of 15.

Steve Bailey is Thoroughbred Times deputy news editor

The fields, in post position order with (sire), jockey, and trainer for the Dubai World Cup:

Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1)
March 29, $6-million, 2,000m, dirt, NH 4yo&up/SH 3yo&up, Nad al Sheba, 1:30 p.m. EDT
  P Horse Sire Jockey Trainer
 1. Sway (Yed Nisnas), Olivier Peslier, Saud Alkahtani; 
 2. Well Armed (Tiznow), Aaron Gryder, Eoin Harty;
 3. Happy Boy (Ski Champ), Kerrin McEvoy, Saeed bin Suroor; 
 4. Kocab (Unfuwain), Stephane Pasquier, Andre Fabre;
 5. Great Hunter (Aptitude), Garrett Gomez, Doug O'Neill;
 6. Premium Tap (Pleasant Tap), S. Madrid, Julio Gardel;
 7. Vermilion (El Condor Pasa), Yutaka Take, Sei Ishizaka;
 8. Jalil (Storm Cat), Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor;
 9. Asiatic Boy (Not for Sale), Johnny Murtagh, Mike de Kock;
10. Lucky Find (Rich Man's Gold), Kevin Shea, Mike de Kock;
11. Gloria de Campeao (Impression), Christophe Lemaire, Pascal Bary;
12. Curlin (Smart Strike), Robby Albarado, Steve Asmussen; and
 13. A. P. Arrow (A.P. Indy), Ramon Dominguez, Todd Pletcher.

Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1)
March 29, $5-million, 1,777m, turf, NH 4yo& SH 3yo, Nad al Sheba, 11:55 a.m. EDT
  P Horse Sire Jockey Trainer
  1. Notional (In Excess [Ire]), Garrett Gomez, Doug O'Neill;
  2. Majestic Roi (Street Cry [Ire]), Darryll Holland, Michael Channon;
  3. Floral Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus), Gerald Mosse, Tony Cruz;
  4. Seachange (Cape Cross [Ire]), Ted Durcan, Robert Manning;
  5. Admire Aura (Agnes Tachyon), Katsumi Ando, Hiroyoshi Matsuda;
  6. Finsceal Beo (Mr. Greeley), Kevin Manning, Jim Bolger;
  7. Archipenko (Kingmambo), Kevin Shea, Mike de Kock;
  8. Niconero (Danzero), Craig Williams, David Hayes;
  9. Creachadoir (King's Best), Kerrin McEvoy, Saeed bin Suroor;
. 10. Literato (Kendor), Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor;
  11. Darjina (Zamindar), Christophe Soumillon, Alain de Royer Dupre;
  12. Vodka (Tanino Gimlet), Yutaka Take, Katsuhiko Sumii;
  13. Bullish Luck (Royal Academy), Brett Prebble, Tony Cruz;
. 14. Jay Peg (Camden Park), A. Marcus, Herman Brown;
  15. Lord Admiral (El Prado [Ire]), Mick Kinane, Charles O'Brien; and
  16. Linngari (Indian Ridge), Ryan Moore, Herman Brown Jr.

Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1)
March 29, $5-million, 2,400m, turf, 4yo&up, Nad al Sheba, 12:45 p.m. EDT
  P Horse Sire Jockey Trainer
1. Latency (Slew Gin Fizz), Julio Mendez ,Juan Udaondo;
2. Quijano (Acatenango), Andrasch Starke, Peter Schiergen;
3.. Sun Classique (Fuji Kiseki), Kevin Shea, Mike de Kock;
4. West Wind (Machiavellian), Kerrin McEvoy, Saeed bin Suroor;
5. Youzmain (Sinndar), Richard Hughes, Michael Channon;
6. Better Talk Now (Talkin Man), Ramon Dominguez, Graham Motion;
7. Sushisan (Fuji Kiseki), Ryan Moore, Herman Brown Jr.;
8. Gravitas (Mark of Esteem [Ire]), Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor;
9. Yellowstone (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), John Egan, Jane Chapple-Hyam;
10. Oracle West (Western Winter), Johnny Murtagh, Mike de Kock;
11. Spring House (Chester Hourse), Garrett Gomez, Julio Canani;
12. Viva Pataca (Marju), Darren Beadman, John Moore;
.13. Mourilyan (Desert Prince [Ire]), Mick Kinane, John Oxx;
 14. Dansant (Dansili [GB]), Jamie Spencer, Gerard Butler;
 15. Doctor Dino (Fr) (Muhtathir [GB]), Olivier Peslier, Richard Gibson; and
 16. Gower Song (Singspiel [Ire]), Ted Durcan, David Ellsworth.
 
Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1)
March 29, $2-million, 1,200m, dirt, NH&SH 3yo&up, Nad al Sheba, 10:55 a.m. EDT
  P Horse Sire Jockey Trainer
  1. Cobalt Blue (Golden Missile), Ted Durcan, Satish Seemar;       
  2. Barbecue Eddie (Stormy Atlantic), Aaron Gryder, Brian Koriner;
  3. Bushwacker (Outflanker), Joe Talamo, Bill Currin;
  4. Mutamarres (Green Desert), Richard Hills, Doug Watson;
  5. Diabolical (Artax), Frankie Dettori ,Saeed bin Suroor;
  6. Esperamos (Stormy Atlantic), Garrett Gomez ,Wesley Ward;
  7. New Freedom (Burooj), Tadgh O'Shea, Aditiyan Selvaratnam;
  8. Drift Ice (Western Winter), Kevin Shea, Mike de Kock;
  9. Narc (National Assembly), Johnny Murtagh, Mike de Kock;
  10. Benny the Bull (Lucky Lionel), Edgar Prado, Richard Dutrow Jr.;
  11. Calrissian (Efisio), Ryan Moore, Lars Kelp; 
  12. Sarissa (Music Prospector), Christophe Lemaire, Pascal Bary;
  13. Star Crowned (Kingmambo), Michael Kinane, Roger Boursley;
   14. Idiot Proof (Benchmark), David Flores, Clifford Sise Jr.; and
  15. Munaddam (Aljabr), Martin Dwyer, Erwan Charpy.

Al Naboodah UAE Derby (UAE-G2)
March 29, $2-million, 1,800m, dirt, NH&SH 3yo, Nad al Sheba, 10:15 a.m. EDT
  P Horse Sire Jockey Trainer
  1. Cocoa Beach (Doneraile Court), Ted Durcan, Saeed bin Suroor;
  2. Numaany (A.P. Indy), Kerrin McEvoy, Saeed bin Suroor;
  3. My Indy (Indygo Shiner), Frankie Dettori ,Saeed bin Suroor;
  4. Massive Drama (Kafwain), Garrett Gomez, Dale Romans;
  5. Rock Ascot (Mantle Rock), Gaven Birrer, Doug Watson;
  6. Ukrainian (Urban Habitat), Richard Mullen, Antonio Pereira;
  7. Light Green (Blush Rambler), Michael Kinane, Pedro Filho;
  8. Royal Vintage (Rich Man's Gold), Kevin Shea, Mike de Kock;
  9 Honour Devil (Honour and Glory), John Murtagh, Mike de Kock;
  10. Strike the Deal (Van Nistlerooy), Ryan Moore, Jeremy Noseda; and
  11. Iide Kenshin (Thunder Gulch), Shinji Fujita, Mitsugu Kon.
 
Etisalat Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2)
March 29, $1-million, 1,600m, dirt, NH 4yo&up/SH3yo&up, Nad al Sheba, 9:40 a.m. EDT
  P Horse Sire Jockey Trainer
  1. Don Renato (Edgy Diplomat), Wigberto Ramos, Stephanie Chevalier;
  2. Watch What Happens (Stravinsky), Darren Beadman, Sean Woods;
  3. Blackat Blackitten (Inchinor [GB]), Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor;
  4.  Green Coast (Green Desert) Aaron Gryder, Doug Watson;
  5. Halkin (Chester House), Wayne Smith, Fawzi Nass;
  6. Brave Tin Soldier (Storm Cat), Kevin Shea, Mike de Kock;
  7. Aleutian (Zafonic), Johnny Murtagh, Fawzi Nass;
  8. Diamond Stripes (Notebook), Edgar Prado, Richard Dutrow Jr.;
  9. Golden Arrow (Ire) (Danehill), Michael Kinane, Erwan Charpy;
  10. Baharah (Elusive Quality), Jamie Spencer, Gerard Butler;
  11. Zakocity (Precocity), Robby Albarado, J. R. Smith Jr.;
  12. Jet Express (Jet Master), Royston Ffrench, Ali Rashid al Rahie; 
  13. Elusive Warning (Elusive Quality), Kerrin McEvoy, Saeed bin Suroor;
  14. Rosberg (A.P. Indy), Tadhg O'Shea, Erwan Charpy; and
  15. Barcola (Old Trieste), Garrett Gomez, Mark Hennig.