American Champions pointed toward the World Cup at the Meydan to take on International talent
Massively pursed Dubai World Cup card has reeled in a start studded American cast among other international horses at Meydan on 31 March, 2012. $27.25 million for a day of horseracing is by no means your regular day at the races.
This event promises some top of the line runners going head to head for this prestigious event, and that is why four Eclipse Award winners are headed to Dubai for the most important racing event of their careers.
The race with the highest purse on the 31 March card is the Group 1, $10 million World Cup, and Team Valor International has shown some interest by sending in their star runner and the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, who is coming off a long layoff due to an injury he incurred in last year’s Triple Crown.
The newly turned 4-year-old Graham Motion trainee recently notched the champion 3-year-old male award at the Eclipse Awards.
The other two nominees for the World Cup night are the champion older male, Acclamation, and the champion 3-year-old filly, Royal Delta.
The list doesn’t stop here, as the 2011 champion female sprinter, Musical Romance, is part of the heavy US contingent as well.
The 5-year-old mare is pointed toward the Group 1 Golden Shaheen, to be contested over a distance of 6 furlongs, and so is the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner, Caleb’s Posse.
Trainer Bob Baffert isn’t going to take it easy in the spring, as he sends out his Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic runner up, Game on Dude, to Dubai as well, to target three races on the card.
The 5-year-old gelding, who hasn’t raced since 5 November, 2011, has been entered in the Group 1 Sheema Classic, Group 1 Dubai Duty Free and the Group 2 Godolphin Mile.
The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, St Nicholas Abbey is pointed towards the 1 1/8 mile long race on turf, the Group 1 Duty Free, and so is Acclamation, cross entered in the same race.
Grade 1 Preakness Stakes' classic winner, Shackleford isn’t far behind as he eyes the Gold Cup over an all-weather surface, over the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles.
For the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, the Grade 2 Turf Sprint winner, Regally Ready and Secret Circle are ready to take on rivals.
It will be a grand occasion for all these famous names with a purse to match, and the American contingents will be looking to nab as many races at the Meydan as they can to stamp their authority over the rest of the world.
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