Dubai: The 2017 $10 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates, has received a massive boost with the confirmation that Arrogate, the world’s best racehorse of 2016, has been nominated for the 22nd running of the race on Saturday, March 25, at Meydan Racecourse.
Trained by American Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, a former two-time winner of the 2,000-metre contest, Arrogate was among a staggering 168 horses from around the world being prepared for a shot at the glittering prize that was won in glorious fashion 12 months ago by California Chrome.
Less than two weeks ago Arrogate, who races in the famous green silks and pink sash of famed Saudi Arabian horse owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdullah, recorded a stunning 4 ¾-length victory over California Chrome to win the inaugural running of the $12 million Pegasus Cup at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
With Chrome headed to the breeding sheds along with record earnings of $14.753 million, Arrogate looks set to cross the Atlantic to Dubai where victory in the Dubai World Cup, whose winner’s purse of $6 million would propel his career earnings to over $17 million, making him the highest earner of all time.
British bookmakers Williams Hill are currently offering a precautious ante-post price of 7/4 for the four-year-son of Unbridled’s Song, to give his owner a first success in the Meydan showpiece. Prince Khalid last sampled victory in Dubai when Polish Summer won the 2010 Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, the same venue where Baffert snatched his two Dubai World Cup trophies, with Silver Charm in 1998 and Captain Steve in 2001.
Also nominated to the Dubai World Cup at the free nominations stage, is the Art Sherman-trained Dortmund, 12/1 winner of the 2015 Santa Anita Derby when trained by previous handler, Baffert.
The 2016 Dubai World Cup runner-up Mubtaahij and third-placed Hoppertunity have also been nominated along with Songbird, a seven-time Grade 1 winner who just got beaten a nose in the Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November.
Dubai Racing Club received 1,549 nominations for 779 horses from 22 countries for the nine races on the programme.
The first supplementary stage for all races will close on Wednesday when connections can nominate their horse for 0.1 per cent of the prize money of their chosen race.
The second supplement is on Monday, March 6, and horses can be supplemented for 1.0 per cent of the prize money. Declarations and the final, third supplementary stage for Dubai World Cup day takes place on Monday, March 20, five days before the event is staged at Meydan Racecourse.
At this point horses can also be supplemented into the race for 10 per cent of the prize money.
Malih Al Basti, Meydan Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Meydan Racing Committee, said: “With 22 countries represented among the 2017 Dubai World Cup nominations we once again look forward to hosting a truly global day of racing on Saturday, March 25.
“The Dubai World Cup is not only the world’s richest day of racing, but also a day when racing communities from all corners of the globe come together before the eyes of the world on Meydan Racecourse’s purpose-built stage in the spirit of competition.
“We are gratified that our support for international racing in the form of subsidies and prize money continues to attract such a strong response from the world’s biggest names.
“Yet we are just as pleased to welcome to the Dubai World Cup the relative newcomers to the world stage from countries such as South Korea. Our wish, and that of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, when he founded the Dubai World Cup in 1996 was to create a truly global event and it is rewarding to see that vision fulfilled year after year.”
2017 Dubai World Cup Nominations by Numbers:
Total Horses: 779
Total Nominations: 1549
$10m Dubai World Cup, G1 2000m (D): 168
$6m Sheema Classic, G1, 2410m (T): 181
$6m Dubai Turf, G1 1800m (T): 248
$2m Golden Shaheen G1 1200m (D): 167
$1m Al Quoz Sprint, G1, 1200m (T): 192
$2m UAE Derby, G2, 1900m (D): 155
$1m Dubai Gold Cup, G2, 3200m (T): 115
$1m Godolphin Mile, G2, 1600m (D): 264
$1m Kahayla Classic, G1 (PA) 2000m (D): 59
Note: D stands for dirt, T for turf
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