Bob Baffert has high hopes for favourite West Coast in Saturday’s Dubai World Cup, as the American trainer bids to land the race for the second straight year after Arrogate’s thrilling 2017 triumph.
West Coast has come up just shy in the biggest dirt-track races so far this year, finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and second to Gun Runner in the Pegasus World Cup, the world’s richest race.
But everything looks in place for the three-year-old to go one better in the $10 million race at Meydan on the richest day of the international racing calendar, after the retirements of Arrogate and old rival Gun Runner.
Ahead of the race, we take a look at the ten horses competing for Dubai World Cup glory.
1. AWARDEE (USA)
Owner: Koji Maeda
Trainer: M Matsunaga
Jockey: Yutaka Take
2. NORTH AMERICA (GB)
Owner: Ramzan Kadyrov
Trainer: S Seemar
Jockey: Richard Mullen
3. GUNNEVERA (USA)
Owner: Salomon Del Valle
Trainer: A Sano
Jockey: Joel Rosario
4. FURIA CRUZADA (CHI)
Owner: Avaz Ismoilov
Trainer: E Charpy
Jockey: Antonio Fresu
5. MUBTAAHIJ (IRE)
Owner: Sh Mohd bin Khalifa Al Maktoum
Trainer: B Baffert
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
6. FOREVER UNBRIDLED (USA)
Owner: Charles E Fipke
Trainer: D Stewart
Jockey: Mike Smith
7. TALISMANIC (GB)
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: A Fabre
Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
8. PAVEL (USA)
Owner: Reddam Racing LLC
Trainer: D O’Neill
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
9. WEST COAST (USA)
Owner: Gary and Mary West
Trainer: B Baffert
Jockey: Javier Castellano
10. THUNDER SNOW (IRE)
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: S bin Suroor
Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
