Thursday, March 23, 2017

2017 DERBY TRAIL & DUBAI WORLD CUP DAY

Let's Go To The Races - Mar 25-26, 2017
This is a non-commercial blog
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Mike Smith, upon finding himself pinched back to last out of the gate: "I'll just ride him like Zenyatta!"


Slow motion finish - Arrogate in World Cup -3:45 on the tape

Slow Motion Arrogate coming out of the gate start of race
Video 2: Slow Motion Arrogate coming out of the gate at start of race

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ARROGATE - A HORSE APART
For how to describe what the whole world witnessed in Dubai, I turn to two of the crustiest and most knowledgeable turf writers we have today, DRF's Mike Watchmaker and BloodHorse's Steve Haskin.  They both have been around long enough to have seen some of the greatest horses of the modern era in person, which most people would mark from the 1950s to present day.

Steve Haskin:  I THOUGHT I HAD SEEN IT ALL!

Mike Watchmaker:  ARROGATE IS GREAT! OF THAT THERE IS NO DOUBT!

Still basking in the afterglow, Bill Finley takes his turn:  ARROGATE VS. PHAROAH?

‘A’ IS FOR ABSOLUTE SUPERSTAR, ARROGATE: Ride him like Zenyatta. That was the plan jockey Mike Smith turned to when ‘TDN Rising Star’ Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song), the overwhelming international favourite for Saturday’s G1 Dubai World Cup, found himself last going past …

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 FEATURED RACES
For replays for U.S. races, return here and click on the CARD below
after the race.  Dubai replays are posted.

Time Ordered Races / Entries - Printable file

SATURDAY

International - Dubai - Meydan
First race is at 7:45 a.m. EDT
7:45   EDT  $1,000,000  Godolphin Mile G2 1,600 m D  R1 Result/Replay
8:15   EDT  $250,000  Kahayla Classic G2 – D 1 1/4 mi  R2  Result/Replay
8:50   EDT  $1,000,000  Gold Cup G2 3,200 m T  2 mi R3 Result/Replay
9:25   EDT  $2,000,000*  UAE Derby G2 1,900 m D R4 Result/Replay
10:00 EDT  $1,000,000  Al Quoz Sprint G1 1,000 m T R5 Result/Replay
10:35 EDT  $2,000,000  Golden Shaheen G1 1,200 m D R6 Result/Replay
11:30 EDT  $6,000,000  Duty Free G1 1,800 m T R7   Result / Replay
12:05 EDT  $6,000,000  Sheema Classic G1 2,400 m T R8   Result/Replay
12:45 EDT  $10,000,000 World Cup G1 2,000 metres – D R9    Result/Replay

* KY Derby prep = 100-40-20-10 points   D=Dirt   T=Turf   m=metres   mi=mile

World Cup Press Conference
Sheema Classic Press Conference
Dubai Turf Press Conference
Sprint Press Conference
UAE Derby Press Conference
Godolphin Mile Press Conference

North America      For replays for U.S. races, click on the CARD below
2:20 ET  Cicada S  Aqu  $100,000  3yo f  6f  R3  CARD
4:33 ET  Rushaway S  TP  $100,000  3yo  8.5f AW R8  CARD
5:09 ET  BOURBONETTE OAKS# G3 TP  $100,000  3yo f  8f AW  R9  CARD
5:55 ET  SPIRAL S* G3 TP  $500,000  3yo  9f AW  R10  CARD
6:09 ET  Purple Martin S  OP  $150,000  3yo f  6f  R9  CARD
7:30 ET  San Luis Rey S G2  SA  $200,000  4+  12f T R9 CARD
6:02 ET  Skip Away S G3  GP  $100,000  4+  9f   R12  CARD

SUNDAY
 
International - Japan

Preview of Takamatsunomiya Kinen
2:30 am. ET  March S G3  JRA  $639,000 a 4+  9f  Dirt  CARD - Prerace    Details
2:40 a.m. ET Takamatsunomiya Kinen G1  JRA  $1,754,000 a 4+  6f T CARD

North America     Click on CARD for result/replay
4:22 ET  New Mexico Breeders' Oaks  Sun  $100,000  3yo f S  8.5f  R3  CARD
4:50 ET  La Coneja S Sun  $100,000  4+ f/m S  5.5f  R4  CARD
5:19 ET  Bill Thomas Memorial S  Sun  $100,000  3+  6.5f   R5  CARD
5:40 ET  New Mexico Breeders' Derby  Sun  $100,000  3yo S  8.5f  R6  CARD
6:18 ET  SUNLAND PARK OAKS# (L)  Sun  $250,000  3yo f  8.5f  R7  CARD
6:30 ET  Dream of Summer S  SA  $100,000  4+ f/m S  8f   R7 CARD
6:53 ET  Harry W. Henson H  Sun  $100,000  3+ f/m  8f   R8  CARD
7:18 ET  SUNLAND DERBY* G3  Sun  $800,000  3yo  9f   R9  CARD

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UPI Weekend Racing Preview
Robert Kieckhefer - March 24, 2017

Dubai World Cup night, a highlight of the racing year, unfolds Saturday at Meydan with $30 million in purses at stake, along with prestige and national pride.

Including the Dubai program, the weekend offers three potential tickets to the Kentucky Derby and two legs of the Global Sprint Challenge.
We'll sprint right to it:

Dubai
The Dubai World Cup has grown from an ambitious vision to the premier night of racing anywhere in the world. This year's renewal attracted the world's top-rated dirt horse, Arrogate, and rivals from as far afield as Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, South Africa, Uruguay, Ireland, France and the United Kingdom to contest eight Thoroughbred races and one for Purebred Arabians in front of the plush Meydan grandstand.

For the first time South Korea has a contender, hoping to evaluate the strength of its new breeding industry.

The "enchilada" (see below) is the $10 million Dubai World Cup itself, with a distinctly American flavor. Trainer Bob Baffert will saddle Arrogate, ranked the world's best horse in a tie with Australian turf runner Winx, and Hoppertunity. Gun Runner, Keen Ice and Neolithic complete a massively strong U.S. team.

Baffert, already twice a World Cup winner, exuded careful optimism Wednesday as the field was set for Saturday's $10 million Dubai World Cup.

"This will be his toughest test," Baffert said of Arrogate, who has reeled off consecutive victories in the Grade I Travers, the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Grade I Pegasus World Cup. In the last two of those, he defeated the 2016 Dubai World Cup winner, California Chrome. "But he's a big, strong horse and if he shows up and runs his race, he wins it."  Read more at source

 

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AN UNDERCARD TO OUTSHINE EVEN RACING'S BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST STAR

Stuart Riley on an international bonanza packed with big names.

It may not be until the Arc that we see a mile-and-a-half-race filled with as many heavyweights as the Sheema Classic

If JUMP racing’s Olympics were last week, then it’s the turn of Usain Bolt today, with Arrogate – the horse his illustrious trainer Bob Baffert has described as the dirt version of Frankel – the headline act in the Dubai World Cup.

But for European fans this could be the equine equivalent of Super Saturday at London 2012 when Bolt’s parade through an uncompetitive heat was overshadowed by a gold glut led by Farah, Ennis and Rutherford. So packed with stars is Meydan’s undercard it could rival Hydra as earth’s largest visible constellation.

So what exactly is there to get excited about? 


It may not be until the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – on the first Sunday in October – we see a mile-and-a-half race filled with as many heavyweights as the Sheema Classic. As John Gosden noted, his Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs is rated 120 and yet is the fourth-highest- rated in the field.  Read more at source

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WHERE TO WATCH
XBTV - Live streaming (super Hi-def)
NBCSN TV & Live Streaming
TVG TV
Twin Spires - live streaming - Requires account
Gulfstream Park - Free live streaming
WEEKEND RACING NEWS 


DUBAI NEWS
Interview with Bob Baffert - Dubai pre-race
Pre-race interview with Bob Baffert - TwinSpires
More pre-race with Bob Baffert  Talks a little about the differences in temperament of Pharoah & Arrogate.


 
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NEWS
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