Breakfast in Dubai and a Proposal

It felt good early this morning when I was told by my girlfriend Kristen that I didn’t need to wear layers of clothing for the first time in six months. While I was restless from the previous night’s news of my father figure, and trainer, Jerry Noss passing, I knew what I had to do …

Jerry would threaten to kick my ass if I didn’t have a good time in Dubai starting today, and I had a whole world of our closest friends telling me just the same.   

As we stepped outside the cool breeze from off of the nearby Persian Gulf felt wonderful … well it sure beat a cold breeze back home coming off of Lake Erie. Our first taxi driver had to stop dead in his tracks, as he did not know where Meydan was. Out we went. Our journey began with the next taxi driver we found, and he at least got us to the expansive Meydan complex.   

As the sun began to rise over the desert horizon that was now being blocked by sprawling skyscrapers along the gulf coast, we took all that was Meydan Racecourse in. We surely knew we were not at The Big T anymore.   

We were greeted with such kindness from the local staff who helped guide us along the way to where we needed to be.  The grandstand is a mile long … YES, A MILE LONG!  

It starts from the luxurious Meydan Hotel where a night there cost more than our round trip airfare. It ends at the concert stage where pop star Kylie Minogue will be performing Saturday night after the World Cup card. We boarded a golf cart taxi that took us to the gate where we needed to enter for Breakfast with the Stars. Greeting us at the gate were the beautiful flight attendants from Emirates Airline. It was there that they handed out some very nice 20th anniversary caps of The Dubai World Cup to everyone in attendance. They also handed out some sun block, but it was too late for me as the Kentucky sun had baked me this past Saturday at Turfway Park.   

The lobby was beautiful with all of these statues of horses painted in past winners racing colors. Also on display were all of the trophies that will be handed out this Saturday night for The Dubai World Cup card. I have to say it was the most impressive collection of trophies I have ever seen. It was highlighted of course by the mighty gold trophy that goes to this year’s winner of the world’s richest race.  

We proceeded to the apron of Meydan, and it was another sight to behold.  I compare it to seeing Belmont Park or Keeneland for the first time. I knew great racing moments have already have happened here, in Meydan’s young history, and more were going to be made this Saturday night. I just hope it’s the American ones that will be making it as I kind of have a bias going on here.   

Another sight to behold was the sights and smells of the breakfast. They had a wide assortment of everything you could have on a breakfast menu, and I will tell you first hand that it was absolutely delicious. Another thing that was good about the breakfast, were the stars on the racetrack, as well as their connections visiting with fans and media on the apron. While California Chrome went out on the racetrack first thing this morning before the breakfast tables were even set up, his colorful connections sure didn’t mind mingling with everyone around during the breakfast program.

Art Sherman seems to be getting more optimistic over his horse’s chances as each day goes on, and not just for the World Cup. He believed that California Chrome was nowhere near cranked up, compared to where he is now, when he ran on February 7th in The San Antonio (G2). He also admitted that Shared Belief is a great horse, but he wants to hook up with him one more time to make himself feel better, as he knows that Chrome is most likely the only horse that can hook him right now. He told the crowd that he called out fellow trainer Jerry Hollendorfer for that match-up, and said that Jerry’s response was: “Bring It!”  

While every racing fan is awaiting that showdown once again, there is another one that will be run that comes first. The questions we have been asking for some time now will finally be answered in about 48 hours.

Will we have legitimate Kentucky Derby (G1) contender finally come out of The U.A.E. Derby (UAE-II) this year?  Will Main Sequence prove that he is not only the best turf horse in America, but also the world, by winning The Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I)? Will the switch back to conventional dirt lead to an uprising in American winners once again on The World Cup card starting with The Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) and The Golden Shaheen (UAE-I)?  And will we add another early Horse of the Year contender to the list if California Chrome or Lea win big in The Dubai World Cup (UAE-I)? And speaking of questions … My girlfriend Kristen answered mine with a “YES” as I proposed to her today on top of The World’s Tallest Building.  Just like in Horse Racing, you have your ups and downs. While yesterday was a definite down … Today was an absolute up!