# Dubai World Cup

The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse (Arabic: ميدان) which in Arabic suggests a place where people congregate and compete, a sort of meeting point in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operated through the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) whose Chairman is Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates. It offers nine races, consisting of eight Thoroughbred contests and one Purebred Arabian contest.
The Dubai World Cup was created in 1996 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai who owns Darley Stud & Godolphin Racing, one of the world's leading Thoroughbred breeding and racing operations.
It is held on the last Saturday in March as the final race of the Dubai World Cup Night. It is a Group 1 flat race on dirt over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 10 furlongs). It is open for Northern Hemisphere Thoroughbred four-year-olds & up and for Southern Hemisphere Thoroughbred three-year-olds & up. Since its 2019 running, the race has carried a purse of $12 million, regaining its place as the world's richest horse race, a record held by the Pegasus World Cup in 2017 and 2018. It was held at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse before 2009. In 2010, the Dubai World Cup was first held at the new Meydan Racecourse on March 27, on all-weather surface known as Tapeta. However, it was held as dirt race again in 2015 due to the high maintenance cost and being an unpopular condition among American participants.
The race's first winner was the future United States Hall of Fame Thoroughbred Cigar, owned by Allen E. Paulson. A plaque honoring that horse hangs outside the barn of Bill Mott at Belmont Park.
In 2006 the Dubai World Cup was broadcast live on TVG Network and HRTV and taped later for showing on ABC. It was the first time that the race was shown on national TV in the United States. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Records

Speed record:
* 2:01.61 (synthetic) - African Story (2014) since the race has been at Meydan Racecourse
* 2:01.38 (dirt) - Thunder Snow (2018) since Meydan was converted from synthetic to dirt
* 1:59.50 - Dubai Millennium (2000) at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
Most wins:
* 2 - Thunder Snow (2018, 2019)
Most wins by an owner:
* 9 - Godolphin Racing (2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021)
Most wins by a jockey:
* 4 - Jerry Bailey (1996, 1997, 2001, 2002)
* 4 - Frankie Dettori (2000, 2003, 2006, 2022)
Most wins by a trainer:
* 9 - Saeed bin Suroor (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019)

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Foaled | Trained | Owned | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
| 1996 | Cigar | United States | United States | United States | 6 | Jerry Bailey | William I. Mott | Allen E. Paulson | 2:03.84 |
| 1997 | Singspiel | Ireland | United Kingdom | United Arab Emirates | 5 | Jerry Bailey | Michael Stoute | Sheikh Mohammed | 2:01.91 |
| 1998 | Silver Charm | United States | United States | United States | 4 | Gary Stevens | Bob Baffert | Bob & Beverly Lewis | 2:04.29 |
| 1999 | Almutawakel | United Kingdom | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 4 | Richard Hills | Saeed bin Suroor | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:00.65 |
| 2000 | Dubai Millennium | United Kingdom | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 1:59.50 |
| 2001 | Captain Steve | United States | United States | United States | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Bob Baffert | Michael E. Pegram | 2:00.47 |
| 2002 | Street Cry | Ireland | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 4 | Jerry Bailey | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 2:01.18 |
| 2003 | Moon Ballad | Ireland | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 2:00.48 |
| 2004 | Pleasantly Perfect | United States | United States | United States | 6 | Alex Solis | Richard Mandella | Diamond A Racing Corp. | 2:00.24 |
| 2005 | Roses in May | United States | United States | United States | 5 | John Velazquez | Dale L. Romans | Ken & Sarah Ramsey | 2:02.17 |
| 2006 | Electrocutionist | United States | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 5 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 2:01.32 |
| 2007 | Invasor | Argentina | United States | United Arab Emirates | 5 | Fernando Jara | Kiaran McLaughlin | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 1:59.97 |
| 2008 | Curlin | United States | United States | United States | 4 | Robby Albarado | Steve Asmussen | Stonestreet Stables/Midnight Cry Stbl | 2:00.15 |
| 2009 | Well Armed | United States | United States | United States | 6 | Aaron Gryder | Eoin G. Harty | WinStar Farm LLC | 2:01.01 |
| 2010 | Glória de Campeão | Brazil | France | Brazil | 7 | T. J. Pereira | Pascal Bary | Stud Estrela Energia | 2:03.83 |
| 2011 | Victoire Pisa | Japan | Japan | Japan | 4 | Mirco Demuro | Katsuhiko Sumii | Yoshimi Ichikawa | 2:05.94 |
| 2012 | Monterosso | United Kingdom | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 5 | Mickael Barzalona | Mahmood al Zarooni | Godolphin Racing | 2:02.67 |
| 2013 | Animal Kingdom | United States | United States | United States Australia | 5 | Joel Rosario | Graham Motion | Arrowfield Stud & Team Valor | 2:03.21 |
| 2014 | African Story | United Kingdom | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 7 | Silvestre de Sousa | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing | 2:01.61 |
| 2015 | Prince Bishop | Ireland | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 8 | William Buick | Saeed bin Suroor | Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum | 2:03.24 |
| 2016 | California Chrome | United States | United States | United States | 5 | Victor Espinoza | Art Sherman | California Chrome LLC | 2:01.83 |
| 2017 | Arrogate | United States | United States | Saudi Arabia | 4 | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Juddmonte Farms | 2:02.15 |
| 2018 | Thunder Snow | Ireland | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 4 | Christophe Soumillon | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:01.38 |
| 2019 | Thunder Snow | Ireland | United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | 5 | Christophe Soumillon | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:03.87 |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 2021 | Mystic Guide | United States | United States | United Arab Emirates | 4 | Luis Saez | Mike Stidham | Godolphin | 2:01.61 |
| 2022 | Country Grammer | United States | United States | United States Saudi Arabia | 5 | Frankie Dettori | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing Stables, WinStar Farm & Commonwealth T'Breds | 2:04.97 |
| 2023 | Ushba Tesoro | Japan | Japan | Japan | 6 | Yuga Kawada | Noboru Takagi | Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co., Ltd. | 2:03.25 |
| 2024 | Laurel River | United States | United Arab Emirates | Saudi Arabia | 6 | Tadhg O'Shea | Bhupat Seemar | Juddmonte Farms | 2:02.31 |

## 2020 running

The 25th edition of the race was scheduled to take place on 28 March 2020. On 12 March, it was announced that the race would go ahead as planned, but with no spectators in attendance, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, on 22 March, a further statement was released, announcing that the race had been cancelled, and that the 25th anniversary celebrations would be postponed until the 2021 running.

## Performances

* 2012 - Toni Braxton
* 2013 - Seal
* 2014 - Jennifer Lopez
* 2015 - Kylie Minogue
* 2016 - Janet Jackson
* 2017 - Sia with Maddie Ziegler
* 2018 - Flo Rida
* 2019 - Christina Aguilera
* 2022 - Becky Hill with Rudimental & Sigala DJ Sets