Dubai World Cup Won by Invasor
Favorite's Grit Over Premium Tap Leaves Discreet Cat Behind
Apr 1, 2007
Invasor and Premium Tap traveled halfway around the world to lock up in a grinding stretch battle in the $6 million Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (gr. l) on March 31 at Nad al Sheba race track. Champion of the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic Invasor forged past the leaders heading for home and engaged Premium Tap at the 5/16 pole. To the delight of thousands cheering them on, the Argentine-bred Invasor and the American colt Premium Tap, trained by John Kimmel, fought a gritty duel to the 3/16 pole before Invasor squirted ahead and pulled off a 1 1/2-length victory in 1:59.97.
Invasor Voted 2006 Horse of the Year
It was the feature race of the United Arab Emirates Dubai racing carnival, the richest race in the world, and the race lived up to its rich reward. Invasor, based in America and voted 2006 Horse of the Year, was expected to get his biggest challenge from Discreet Cat, the unbeaten colt who handed Invasor his only career loss in last year's UAE Derby.
Discreet Cat tore apart the competition in that event, but failed to mount a serious threat in Saturday's rematch. Eased off in the final furlong by jockey Frank Dettori, a three-time Cup winner, Discreet Cat had nothing to offer when asked. He finished last.
Invasor avenged his 2006 Dubai loss with his courageous stretch run in the 2000 meter (1-1/4 miles) Cup race on the dirt track hosting a field of seven, the smallest entry in the race's 12-year history.
Premium Tap Gives Premium Race in Dubai
Premium Tap, third in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic dominated by the Maktoums, put together an outstanding effort under jockey Kent Desormeaux. Saying his horse "set sail" headed for home, Desormeaux referred to his mount's pre-race gate loading incident as a possible factor in a slow start. Premium Tap wanted nothing to do with the starting gate, refusing to load for several minutes. Handlers blind-folded him, but, as retired jockey Jerry Bailey pointed out, they failed to circle the colt before trying the re-load. Circling an individual when he's blind-folded usually disorients him as to where the gate is, and he will re-load properly when given a direction.
Invasor handled the Nad al Sheba race course like a veteran under the hand of Fernando Jara. The colt is owned by Shadwell Stable and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. Sired by Candy Stripes, the five-year-old Invasor trained at Palm Meadows prior to his shipping to Dubai. McLaughlin said he trained just as he wanted him to, running his last work of five furlongs in a crisp :59.60.
Discreet Cat Suffered November Fever
Discreet Cat entered the Dubai World Cup having been scratched from his last intended post because of a slight fever. The previously unbeaten colt had not started a race since last November, and had never raced farther than 1-1/8 miles. He missed any chance to run in the Triple Crown races last year because of illness.
Invasor added to his resume by becoming just the third horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup. Pleasantly Perfect achieved it in 2003-'04 with jockey Alex Solis, and Cigar won both events in 1995-'96 with Jerry Bailey riding. Invasor is owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. His brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum owns Godolphin Racing, which works Discreet Cat from its Al Quoz Stable..
Dubai Duty Free - Lava Man Gives Out
Trainer Doug O'Neill didn't have an explanation for the sudden fade of California champion Lava Man in the $5 million Dubai Duty Free (UAE - gr. l), a March 31 run on turf at 1777 meters (1-1/8 miles). O'Neill did not make the trip to Dubai. He saddled Notional for the Florida Derby Saturday.
Speculation as to why Lava Man has been unable to win outside California will continue. Corey Nakatani had Lava Man comfortably near the front through the early part of the race. About the time Lava Man headed for the lead, and Nakatani asked for more, the gelding faded very quickly, apparently with no fire to offer.
English Channel, one of America's best graded stakes winners, and the six-time grade one winner Lava Man, as well as 2006 Breeders' Cup Mile winner and champion turf male, Miesque's Approval, all finished off the board.
Lava Man's owners indicated they chose the Dubai Duty Free for the popular gelding because they believed it would offer the most favorable running surface in the non-California environment. But Lava Man put up his fifth out-of-state loss. He has never won outside California, a monkey-on-the-back that his owners hoped to shrug in Dubai.
Being their own individual personalities, horses don't always have their 'A' racing game on a given day, despite their connections' best efforts to plan ahead for them. Unfortunately, Lava Man and Discreet Cat lost their focus on the world's largest racing stage.
It's likely, however, that the two Thoroughbred stalwarts will have other sterling days of triumph.
