Country Grammer rallies to win $12 million Dubai World Cup
The only U.S. victory of the night at Meydan came in upset fashion – and in the biggest race.
Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Country Grammer (9-1) closed from fourth place in the last quarter-mile on his way to winning the Grade 1, $12 million Dubai World Cup.
It was a fourth victory in the Dubai World Cup for both Baffert and Dettori, who timed his ride to perfection.
Country Grammer, the runner-up in last month's $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), hunted down pacesetter and post-time U.S. favorite Life Is Good (2-5) in the final furlong of the 2,000-meter dirt race (about 1 1/4 miles) to win by 3 3/4 lengths over late-closing Hot Rod Charlie (5-1).
Chuwa Wizard (12-1) finished another half-length back in third. Life Is Good (2-5) was fourth, and Midnight Bourbon (17-1) took fifth. American-based horses finished first, second, fourth and fifth in the field of 10.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good set the pace under Irad Ortiz Jr. with Steve Asmussen’s charge Midnight Bourbon taking close orders. Turning for home, Ortiz asked Life Is Good for an extra effort and started to kick clear.
However, Country Grammer was not finished. With Dettori urging him along the straight, the 5-year-old Tonalist horse owned by Amr Zedan and WinStar Farm took command while Life Is Good faded.
"I don't have any voice left after that," Zedan said. "It was a project. We picked the horse, and he has come here in the care of the best trainer in the world in Bob Baffert. Deep down in my gut I knew we had a shot. I have huge respect for all the others, especially Life Is Good, who I know intimately as he used to train with Country Grammer when he was with Baffert."
Zedan and Baffert have been in the spotlight recently because of the disqualification of the late Medina Spirit as the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby. That case is centered on a failed drug test has led to court fights to restore the victory and reverse both a 90-day suspension of Baffert and a two-year ban that prevents horses in his name from racing at Churchill Downs.
"This win reminds me of Medina Spirit," Zedan said. "He was a champion, and these horses are all heart. I hope Medina Spirit is reinstalled as the Kentucky Derby winner, God willing."
"It's been a long trip," said Jimmy Barnes, the top assistant who represented Baffert in the Saudi Cup and at Meydan. "Frankie just rode him awesome. He couldn't have done any better. The speed worked out just as we thought it would, he put him in a close enough spot that when he called upon him, he's a true mile-and-a-quarter horse, and it kicked in.
"I give a lot of credit to Bob Baffert for his ability to come back and perform. It's what we do. We're great off a lay-off. I'm just so excited. I was here when Arrogate won the Dubai World Cup, so this is my second with Bob, and it is very, very special."
Dettori, who first won the Dubai World Cup for Godolphin aboard the great Dubai Millennium in 2000, said, “I have equaled Jerry Bailey now. All my other three wins came on the Nad Al Sheba track, so it's nice to have a winner at Meydan.”
The winning time was 2:04.97 without a run-up on the fast dirt track. The early fractions every 400 meters (about quarter-miles) were 24.48, 48.03, 1:11.41 and 1:36.74, according to Trakus.
Doug O'Neill, trainer of Hot Rod Charlie, offered his congratulations to Country Grammer and expressed satisfaction with his 4-year-old colt.
"Congratulations to Bob Baffert for getting his horse ready the way he did," O'Neill said. "We wanted to win, of course, but we're super proud, and mid-race we were thinking it just wasn't Charlie's day. He then re-engaged and got up for second, so it was a great night. I think maybe blinkers might need to go back on. He broke OK, but then when he got behind horses, maybe that was it."
Ortiz said the 1 1/4 miles caught up with Life Is Good. "We led like we wanted," he said. "It was just the distance. The extra distance told."