[RC] U.S. Horses Arrive for Dubai World Cup - DarkHorseGoddess
U.S. Horses Arrive for Dubai World Cup
By ANWAR FARUQI .c The Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Breeders' Cup Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect was among the contingent of American horses to work out Thursday for the $6 million Dubai World Cup, the world's richest race.
Pleasantly Perfect arrived on the same trans-Atlantic flight Sunday with Medaglia d'Oro, Domestic Dispute and Fleetstreet Dancer.
All four were out at dawn for a canter around the dirt track where they will run in a 12-horse field under the lights March 27, highlighting the seven-race card.
Pleasantly Perfect, winner of the San Antonio Handicap in his 4-year-old debut, is the 5-2 favorite for the race with British bookmakers, followed by Donn Handicap winner Medaglia d'Oro at 2-1. Victory Moon is third at 10-3 after convincing wins in Dubai.
Trainer Richard Mandella hopes to win with Pleasantly Perfect after three second-place finishes in the World Cup.
Mandella's Soul of the Matter finished a half-length behind Cigar in the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996. A year later, Mandella's Siphon and Sandpit finished second and third, and in 1999 he returned with Malek to finish second behind Almutawakel.
Medaglia d'Oro is making his Dubai World Cup debut after being scratched last year because trainer Bobby Frankel thought the horse was not ready.
The horse is fresh from his win over Funny Cide at the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Medaglia d'Oro has finished first or second in 14 of his 16 starts, including 10 in a row.
``This is the kind of horse you dream about,'' Frankel said after the Donn. ``He's sound and he shows up.''
In all, 13 American horses have arrived in this Gulf emirate to compete on a card with a total purse of $15.25 million.
Last year, the race was overshadowed by the threat of a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Although the race ran without a hitch, organizers canceled some lavish post-race festivities.
