AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File
The Dubai World Cup is upon us, and the racing world is focused on Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. The race has attracted the world’s No. 1-rated horse in Arrogate as well as competitors from the U.S., Japan, UAE and South Africa.
Read on to brush up on your Dubai World Cup trivia before the marquee event on Saturday.
1. The Dubai World Cup offers a $10 million purse, which was the largest in the world until this year’s inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup.
2. Gambling is not allowed in the UAE, so fans and media come just for the spectacle of the day, including fireworks, performers and top-tier racing.
3. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai who is heavily involved in horse racing around the globe, orchestrated the first Dubai World Cup in 1996 after having organized the first Thoroughbred racing in Dubai in 1981.
4. Street Cry, sire of the famous American racemare Zenyatta, won the 2002 Dubai World Cup for his owner, Sheikh Mohammed.
5. No horse from South Africa has ever won the Dubai World Cup. Mubtaahij will try this year.
6. In 1997, the Dubai World Cup was delayed for five days due to torrential rain. Sheikh Mohammed ordered UAE Air Force helicopters to hover over the track to dry it out in time for the postponed race date.
7. The Dubai World Cup isn’t the only race at Meydan on Saturday. The day features nine Thoroughbred races worth $29 million in all.
8. A total of 10 American-trained horses have won the race, including Cigar, Invasor and Animal Kingdom.
9. The race has been run at two tracks, Nad al Sheba from 1996 through 2009 and Meydan from 2010 to present, and on three different surfaces: dirt at Nad al Sheba, a synthetic surface at Meydan (2010-2014) and dirt at Meydan (2015-present).
10. American trainer Bob Baffert didn’t yet have a passport when he decided to send Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm to the Dubai World Cup in 1998. Silver Charm won, and Baffert won again in 2001 with Captain Steve. He has Arrogate and Hoppertunity in the race this year.
11. Japan won its first and only Dubai World Cup in 2011, shortly after the country suffered destruction from a March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Victoire Pisa led fellow Japanese-trained Transcend across the wire for an emotional 1-2 Japanese finish.
12. California Chrome ran the fastest Dubai World Cup at Meydan last year, completing the 1 ¼ miles in 2:01.83.
