Dubai Golden Shaheen

Trainer Brad Cox confirmed that FMQ Stables' Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), a brave third in the G1 Saudi Cup after setting bruising fractions up front, has shipped to Dubai and has settled in at Meydan Raceourse. The $45,000 Keeneland January short-yearling turned $240,000 OBS April breezer holds an entry for the G1 Dubai World Cup, where he would face a rematch with the two horses that finished ahead of him last weekend--Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) and Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). But Cox aid that the tentatively target is the Mar....

Ever since she was a young girl, Chelsie Raabe had dreamed of reaching the pinnacle moment in her career as an equestrian, where she envisioned one day standing atop the Olympic podium or making the victorious walk out following a clear cross-country round at the Land Rover Three-Day event. But it wasn't until the evening of March 25 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, as she looked up at a bustling grandstand that echoed with the crescendo of excited fans awaiting the start of the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on...

Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius (Not This Time), last seen posting a thrilling victory in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse Mar. 25, will bypass the GII True North S. at Belmont Park June 10 in favor of next weekend's $225,000 Listed Aristides S. at Churchill Downs, trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer said Monday. "He's stabled here at Keeneland and it's only up the road," the conditioner told the NYRA press office. "We'll have a look at the race and see what post position we get and how the...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- It would be difficult to imagine that anyone has embraced and enjoyed their time in the Emirates more than trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer, his wife Alison and exercise rider Chelsie Raabe. From the perspective of the 130 or so horses taking part on World Cup Night, the same could perhaps be said for Sibelius (Not This Time), who would make his way to the Meydan main track about the same time the sun was peeking over the horizon, then would just stand there, like class horses...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Answer: The G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. Question: What is the only race in the history of the Dubai World Cup that has never been won by the host? That statement feels like an enormous anomaly, given all the success down the years at old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse and here at Meydan Racecourse, but true it is all the same. It is a record that Harry Sweeney, the president of the Japanese arm of Sheikh Mohammed's global operation, hopes will change this weekend when American-bred...

WinStar Farm, Commonwealth Thoroughbreds and Zedan Racing's defending G1 Dubai World Cup champion Country Grammer (Tonalist) tops a dozen North American entries for the Dubai World Cup program at Meydan Racecourse Saturday, Mar. 25. The prospective fields were revealed overnight by the Dubai Racing Club. The 6-year-old is one of 13 in the field for the $12-million centerpiece of the meeting, including no fewer than eight runners from Japan topped by Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who registered a half-length defeat of Country Grammer in the G1 Saudi Cup last...

Xtra Heat (Dixieland Heat--Begin, by Hatchet Man), winner of 25 black-type races in an overachieving career that saw her named the Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old filly of 2001, passed away last December at the age of 24, according to a release from Woodford Thoroughbreds. Bred in Kentucky by Pope McLean, Sr., Pope McLean, Jr., Marc McLean and P. Feringa, the diminutive Xtra Heat sold for less than five figures as a weanling, yearling and 2-year-old, but won her first six races before tasting defeat for the first time in the 2000...

Stepping up to the top level for the first time in what has already been a productive career, Godolphin's Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) ran a strong 1600 metres and comfortably held a final-furlong rally from the classy Red le Zele (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) to land Sunday's February S. at Tokyo Racecourse. A fourth consecutive American-bred winner of the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, Lemon Pop will remain over shorter trips and holds an invitation to the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in...

Closing arguments were a late scratch Jan. 31 in the horse doping trial of veterinarian Dr. Seth Fishman being held in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. New York U.S. District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil met the lawyers for both sides in the robing room, then called the jury into the courtroom and sent them home. She told the jurors to return to court Tuesday. "There has developed legal issues that need to be dealt with," Vyskocil told the jury of eight women and four men. But Fishman's absence in...

Triumph turned almost immediately to tragedy in Saturday's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen as the lightly regarded Zenden (Fed Biz) outbroke the field from gate 14, set a wicked pace and had a space on his rivals at the wire, only to take a bad step just a few strides later, dislodging jockey Antonio Fresu while suffering a catastrophic injury. Better than 50-1 on the international tote, the Florida-based sprinter shot straight into stride from the widest barrier and set off at a breakneck pace while outfooting the fleet-footed Matera Sky...

Saturday's $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup may lack the star power of past renewals, but with 14 runners signed on from six countries for the race's 25th renewal it is nonetheless a fascinating event that has the potential to crown a new headliner, the most obvious being Godolphin's American shipper Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper). Trained by Michael Stidham, Mystic Guide broke his maiden by five lengths at second asking last March, and despite the American Triple Crown being re-arranged by the Covid-19 pandemic connections took a patient approach. Mystic Guide picked...

Expected fields have been released for Meydan's $26.5-million Dubai World Cup card on Mar. 27, with 14 Group 1 winners set to line up on the night. The featured $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup is as ever an international affair. Godolphin brings three runners trained in three different countries, headed by homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), winner last time of the GIII Razorback H. at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 27 for trainer Mike Stidham. Saeed bin Suroor sends out Gifts Of Gold (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who won the Red Sea...