We go first to Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates at Dubai for their World Cup card. Starting with the Godolphin Mile (2nd) the selection is American invader; Prayer for Relief (#8) which drops from tougher U.S. stakes competition and turns back in distance to his best effort going a mile two starts back. The Dubai Gold Cup (3rd) is a two mile marathon on the weeds. A field of 14 are entered and the "class" horse draws the far outside, Brown Panther (#14) my top pick. The UAE Derby (4th) may have implications on this year's Kentucky with 100 points on the line for winning this race. It will be tough to go past, Mubtaahij (#1) who won the prep for this race going the same mile and three sixteenths distance is the pick. The Al Quoz Sprint (5th) is a five furlong dash on the weeds that is wide open. I'm with the known quantity here in Casper Netscher (#11) running 3rd losing by a head going this distance here and winner of a turf sprint stake at Woodbine last Fall. The dirt sprint is at six panels, the Dubai Golden Shaheen (6th) a race where American runners often do well, in fact they dominate. The Bob Baffert trained; Secret Circle (#7) looks to break a winless streak dating back to over a year when he won the Breeder's Cup Sprint of 2013, he's my top selection here. The Dubai Turf (7th) is the first of two consecutive races on the weeds. Maybe the widest open event of the day, the Todd Pletcher trained; Mshawish (#3) has won three in a row and gets the call here for me. The Dubai Sheema Classic (8th) is headlined by Horse of the Year finalist and top turf horse in the world currently; Main Sequence (#5) who has been unbeaten since shipping stateside for Graham Motion. With his will to win, I see him tough to beat once again. The feature race of the day is the 10,000,000 guaranteed Dubai World Cup (9th) featuring Horse of the Year ~ California Chrome who draws the far outside post. While he should be the post time favorite, it's the other American runner who I'll be going with. Lea (#5) was gaining late in the grade I - Donn Handicap in his last start and should relish the mile and a quarter race distance.
We also have two major three year old prep races to look at in the southern part of our country. The Louisiana Derby (11th) wraps up the Fairgrounds route to Churchill Downs with a dominate winner of both prep races here in International Star (#9). While he is the "horse to beat", I'll take War Story (#6) to make the third time a charm and turn the tables on him. For second, the afored mentioned favorite and underneath in triples and superfectas; A Day in Paradise (#5) - Keen Ice (#7) - Defondo (#3). Meanwhile, Gulfstream Park showcases their feature race of the meet - the Florida Derby (14th). It's a showdown between Upstart (#9) who was disqualified last start in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Itsaknockout (#4) who was placed first above him. While either of these two runners can win, I'm going with a new face today, but the same old trainer. Materiality (#7) has had only two career starts and won them both for Todd Pletcher. He's bucking the trend of no Derby winner that was unraced as a two year, but Pletcher had a similar runner last year named Constitution who was also lightly raced and won. The second and third spots I'll go with #9 & #4 plus superfecta adds - My Point Exactly (#6) - Ami's Flatter (#1) - Quimet (#5) in the fourth spot.
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