Royal Delta and Game on Dude carry American hopes in the Dubai World Cup
Among American viewers, the richest race in the world lost its luster when the last year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom, was withdrawn from the Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup at the Meydan due to injury. The duel between the North
American racing giants, Animal Kingdom and Royal Delta was much anticipated, and with Kentucky Derby prep races going around the country on the same day, it would’ve made one Cracker Jack of a racing weekend.
However, Royal Delta will carry American hopes along with another American sensation, the top male handicapper, Game on Dude, who was the second best in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup last fall at Churchill Downs, along with an international cast of world’s top
horses going for a rigorous battle in the desert.
Bill Mott who still has Royal Delta under his training despite the switch of ownership at the end of last year, won the Dubai World Cup with, Cigar, back in 1996.
“It’s definitely an international field,” said Bill Mott, the Hall of Fame trainer. “It seems as though this race brought some of the best horses from every country. It’s good racing, and obviously we have some of the best trainers and jockeys and most competitive
owners in the world, and that’s what makes it good. I think it’s a race that everybody wants to win.”
Bob Baffert trained Game on Dude will have to squeeze out of the packed field with his post position being 14, but with his speed it should not be a problem. The 5-year-old gelding did balk a few times when in a schooling session on 29 March, because the
gates in Dubai are a lot smaller than the gates in America.
If Game on Dude is to do well today, than he will have to break well because that is the key for him, and once he is on his way past the first hurdle, than we will have a race.
Aidan O’Brien trained So You Think is going to be another tough cookie to break and he is considered by many as the favourite to take the 1 ¼ miles event over the Tapeta surface. The eight time Group 1 winning horse landed a dismal sixth in last year’s Breeders’
Cup.
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