All Signs Point to Dubai for California Chrome

It would seem the guessing game may be over. “He’s a go for Dubai. No more speculation as Sherman confirms California Chrome will run in the Dubai World Cup.” This news came to me via a tweet from HRTV’s Scott Hazelton.

In my article on these pages last week, I used a humorous approach in an attempt to suggest to some of the newer fans of racing, that shipping a horse to Dubai might not be as risky as it seemed.

In many cases, people who describe themselves as, “Someone in the know” often forget that they went through a learning process to acquire their information. This fact was brought to my attention by one of HRN’s readers, and in this article, I will provide the novice racing fans with information directly pertaining to what an American racehorse goes through when they make their way across the world to compete in the Dubai World Cup.

To begin, the Dubai World Cup is the highlight of the Dubai World Cup evening, with the World Cup as the culmination of the event. Originating in 1996, the World Cup Carnival has served as a pioneering event, and it has successfully drawn the biggest names of the horse racing scene from many countries around the world. The United States of America, Great Britain, Japan, France, Ireland, Australia, South Africa and Hong Kong are just a few of the nations which have provided participants for the festival.

Undoubtedly the largest contributor to the festival would be Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. The Al Maktoum family has ruled Dubai since 1883, and Sheikh Mohammed also heads Darley Stud, and Godolphin Racing, one of the world’s leading thoroughbred breeding and racing operations. On this side of the pond, Maktoum owned runners are often seen competing at racing venues throughout North America, including some of our most prestigious races. In 2008, Darley was successful in winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Raven's Pass.

Since it began in 1996, several American horses have been successful in bringing back the lion’s share of the now $10,000,000 purse the Dubai World Cup offers. The Allen E. Paulson owned, and Bill Mott trained Cigar won the inaugural edition, and horses like Silver Charm, Captain Steve, Roses in May, Well Armed have followed, to name a few.

As mentioned earlier, the Dubai Word Cup is one of the several featured races on the world's richest card of racing, and Sal Gonzalez, the trainer of Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Proud Tower Too, walks us through the process of shipping and running a horse in Dubai.

“Our horse traveled to Dubai at the expense and courtesy of Meydan Racecourse," said Gonzalez. "They provided the aircraft, and the horse's groom, gallop boy, and hot walker traveled with him. The horses are made comfortable while on the plane, and the stalls they ship in are comparable to those they stay in every day.” Sal also explained that a veterinarian was in attendance, and the horse was provided electrolytes in order to prevent dehydration.

As to the security factor, Sal tells us that although guards were present at all parts of the horse’s journey, it was hardly needed. “They love having these horses in Dubai,” states Gonzalez. “Notably Sheik Mohammed himself. There was no quarantine when we arrived in Dubai so we hardly missed any training.”

As to the human contingent, Sal described the treatment as first class, and red carpet throughout his experience. “We were chauffeured everywhere in limousines, stayed at luxurious Oceanside Hotels, and given the utmost respect at all times.”

It is worth mentioning that when he traveled to Dubai in 2006, this country was still experiencing the aftereffects of the US-Iraqi war. “At no point did I ever feel threatened,” says Gonzales. “In fact, Dubai has one of the world’s lowest crime rates, and shop owners abandon their open and unlocked stores an hour each day for prayer.”

While I could expand this information further, I hope this article will provide horse racing's newer fans with at least an overview of why it is that an owner would choose to race their horse in Dubai.

In addition, much has been mentioned that when horses return from Dubai, their form falters. If this is the case, many might question an owner’s motivation to run there. I say this, there are 10,000,000 reasons for racing in Dubai!