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Dubai World Cup: Who will win the big one?

We've profiled the top-speed steeds who will give it their all to win the world's richest horse race

Last updated: September 15, 2018 | 22:48

By Geir Stabell | Special to GN Focus

5 MIN READ

Gulf News Archives/Virendra Saklani

Group 1; 9pm; $10 million; 2,000m; sponsored by Emirates Airline

California Chrome

California Chrome hardly needs an introduction. Racing fans worldwide are familiar with his résumé. To recap: He won the first two legs of the US Triple Crown in 2014, taking Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in great style. The Belmont was a bridge too far, but Chrome bounced back to form in the autumn, to be a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and win the Hollywood Derby (where he proved himself on turf).

Last year was not so good, though finishing second in the World Cup was no mean feat. He was shipped to England with the intention of competing at Royal Ascot. California Chrome looked sharp on the Newmarket gallops but a last-minute setback ruled him out of the Prince of Wales’ Stakes. Sent back to trainer Art Sherman in California, the imposing chestnut was given a long time to recuperate. He returned to action in the San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita in January. The five-year-old was a bit rusty but far too good for his rivals. Imperative was held at bay in the closing stages, with the winning margin 1¼ lengths. Hoppertunity took third. Some observers knocked the form but that makes little sense. Chrome needed the outing and he tired a bit in the closing stages.

He will be much sharper in the World Cup. His winning handicap run here on February 25 also indicates an upswing in form. It is impossible to say whether California Chrome will get back to his absolute best but if he does, well then, the others are probably running for second.

Frosted

Frosted, four-year-old son of Tapit, one of the top stallions in North America, and Godolphin-owned runner made a sparkling seasonal debut winning the second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge in early February. Sure, he had by far the best form going into the race and was a hot favourite but Frosted still exceeded expectations as he powered home by 5 lengths from Gold City. The 1,900-metres track record was broken and Frosted had clearly improved on his three-year-old form.

After tasting success in the Wood Memorial in April, he went on to take fourth in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Belmont Stakes, on both occasions running with great credit in the wake of Triple Crown champion American Pharoah. He was third in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga when Keen Ice managed to beat American Pharoah after Frosted put serious pressure on the favourite from the outset but tired in the closing stages. He returned to form with an easy win in the Pennsylvania Derby in September, but failed facing American Pharoah yet again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, where Frosted beat just one of his seven rivals. He had a tough campaign last year but has stood up to it well and could be in for a successful season.

Mshawish

An American bred son of Medaglia d’Oro out of a daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch, Mshawish has a pedigree pointing at strong form on dirt tracks. Nevertheless, this handsome runner began his career on turf and progressed to become a very good one too. He won the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap last winter, before running third to Solow in the Dubai Turf.

This time, Mshawish returns to Dubai with an even bigger assignment. He is set for the World Cup. Certainly the most versatile of the big-race contenders, Mshawish is coming off a career-best performance in Florida, having captured the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream in February. Mshawish travelled strongly just off the pace in the prestigious event and proved much too good for Valid, who he had beaten when taking the Hal’s Hope Stakes at the same venue four weeks earlier. Switching Mshawish to dirt has been a success and, although the competition will be stronger and the distance 200 metres longer, he may well step up again. Recent form counts for a lot in racing, and the Donn has been a good guide to the World Cup in the past. Mshawish has a lot going for him. But will he cope with 2,000 metres?

Keen Ice

This US contender made a name for himself when he became the only horse to beat American Pharoah last year. It happened in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August, a race contested over the same distance as the World Cup. American Pharoah and Frosted hooked up in a gruelling duel up front, a duel Frosted grudgingly lost, but Keen Ice came with a strong finish to pass them both in the last few strides. He beat the champion by three parts of a length, with Frosted 2¼ lengths further adrift. Was it a fluke? It was markedly Keen Ice’s best run but he is undoubtedly a serious horse and must be respected in the World Cup. His chances increase if the race is run at a strong early pace. He had been runner-up to American Pharoah in the Haskell Invitational four weeks prior to the Travers and ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic when a lack of pace was very much against him.

He resurfaced at Gulfstream Park ten weeks later to have his World Cup prep in the Donn Handicap. Five horses beat him, with Mshawish on top, though note that Keen Ice was carrying top weight and that he once more stayed on well from the back. The Donn is 1,800 metres. Keen Ice is much better over 2,000. Do not dismiss him in the $10-million race.

Special Fighter

This five-year-old son of champion juvenile Teofilo has taken longer to blossom than his father. Special Fighter was a nice, useful horse when trained in England in his younger days, but he has turned a corner big time at Meydan this season.

Who would have thought this Mosabah Al Muhairi-trained chestnut would win a Group 1 as the Carnival opened? His trainer perhaps, though even he must have been somewhat baffled as Special Fighter ran his rivals into the ground for a solid 4½-length win of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 three weeks ago.

Covering the full World Cup distance, Special Fighter led from start to finish and he quickened from the front early in the straight. Within a few strides it was clear that he would not be caught. He ran on in great style under jockey Fernando Jara to win the race in a sharp 2.03.09 — a new track record. Jara rode Invasor to World Cup fame back in 2007 and in Special Fighter he seems to have found another live wire. Gun Pit, a solid dirt runner from Hong Kong, ran second in the Al Maktoum 3, with 2¾ lengths back to Faulkner in third. OK, the two favourites Mubtaahij (fourth) and Keen Ice (seventh) both had a bad day, The question now is: can he repeat it?