NEWS
Record 288 entries for Dubai World Cup
Posted: Sunday, January 31, 2010 5:23 PM
2009 DUAL ECLIPSE AWARD WINNER GIO PONTI
Four Footed Fotos
Eclipse Award winners Gio Ponti and Lookin At Lucky as well as a number of other prominent U.S.-based horses are among a record number of entries for the 2010 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) card, which is set for March 27 at the new Meydan Racecourse.
At the close of the free entry stage on January 13, there were 1,951 entries from 23 nations for the eight-race card, which is highlighted by the $10-million Dubai World Cup. The previous record of 1,683 entries was set last year. Overall, 911 individual horses were nominated for the 2010 card.
The United Arab Emirates topped the list of nations by number of individual horses entered with 371, while the U.S. second with 159 and Great Britain was third with 75.
To be run for the first time on a synthetic surface, the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) Dubai World Cup drew a record 288 entries, 14 more than last year’s record number of 274. The entries are led by Gio Ponti, who was honored earlier this month as the U.S. champion turf male and champion older male of 2009, and Vodka, who recently was crowned Japan’s Horse of the Year for the second consecutive year.
British bookmaker Coral has made Gio Ponti the 7-to-2 favorite among its 15-horse Dubai World Cup future book.
Other Dubai World Cup nominees include Gloria de Campeao, runner-up last year to Well Armed; Regal Ransom, who is aiming to become the first horse to win the race a year after winning the United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2); and French classic winner and recent Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) victor Vision d’Etat.
This year’s Dubai World Cup entries come from 82 trainers and 15 nations. Godolphin Racing’s Saeed bin Suroor has the most nominees with 34. He is one of seven trainers with horses nominated who has previously won the race, the others being Kiaran McLaughlin (four entries), Bill Mott (two), Steve Asmussen (one), Bob Baffert (seven), Eoin Harty (one), Sir Michael Stoute (two).
Baffert and owner Mike Pegram, who teamed to win the 2001 Dubai World Cup with Captain Steve have entered Lookin At Lucky, the champion two-old male of 2009, for the $2-million United Arab Emirates Derby. Vale of York (Ire), who defeated Lookin At Lucky in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in November on the synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park, also is entered for the 1,900-meter (9.44-furlong) race as is South Africa’s champion juvenile of last season, Musir.
Gladiatorus, Presvis, and Alexandros, the top three finishers, respectively, in last year’s Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1), are among 400 entries from 19 nations for this year’s edition of the $5-million race to be run at 1,777 meters (8.83 furlongs) on the turf.
Multiple Grade 1 winner Presious Passion and European Group 1-winning filly Dar Re Mi (GB) are among 242 entries from 17 nations for the $5-million Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) at 2,400 meters (11.93 furlongs) on turf.
The $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) which has long been dominated by U.S.-based horses when run on the dirt at Nad al Sheba, attracted Dancing in Silks, winner of the 2009 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on the synthetic surface at Santa Anita, among 205 entries from 16 nations. For the first time this year, the 1,200-meter (5.97-furlong) race will be run around a bend on the synthetic Tapeta Footings surface. Elite Japanese sprinter Laurel Guerriero and unbeaten Australian filly Black Caviar also are entered.
A new race to the Dubai World Cup program is the $1-million Al Quoz Sprint (UAE-G3), a 1,200-meter turf race for which 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner California Flag and globetrotting Cannonball are entered. Others among the 202 entries are Singapore star Rocket Man and his half brother South African standout Our Giant as well as Hong Kong champion sprinter Sacred Kingdom and French Group 1 winner Total Gallery.
Furthest Land, who captured the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on the synthetic surface at Santa Anita, heads 61 entries from the U.S. for the $1-million Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) on the synthetic surface. Others among the 370 overall entries from 16 nations include Godolphin’s Gayego, second in last year’s race, and stablemate and 2008 U.S. champion two-year-old male Midshipman.
For the complete list of Dubai World Cup card entries, click here.
