So You Think is the class act but Game On Dude is the sentimental favourite to win the $US10 million Group One Dubai World Cup at Meydan on Saturday.
There are many reasons why the California challenger will be cheered to the rafters if he can win the 2000-metre feature on a nine-race card that carries prize money of $US27.25 million.
Game On Dude’s trainer Bob Baffert suffered a heart attack soon after his arrival in Dubai on Monday and was rushed to hospital, where three stents were inserted into two arteries.
Nevertheless, Baffert hopes to be at Meydan under medical supervision on Saturday when Chantal Sutherland, who rides Game On Dude, will become the first female jockey to ride in the world’s richest horse race.
Sutherland has ridden Game On Dude to three wins from six starts, most recently in California on February 5.
The combination was second to Drosselmeyer in North America’s premier all-aged race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, last November.
Game On Dude must defy the outside post in stall 14 to land the jackpot.
“Whatever happens, I will deal with it,” Sutherland said.
“He has a tendency to break slow, so we have more options from the outside.”
An aggressive runner who frequently makes the running, Game On Dude faces stern competition from horses representing Britain, Germany, Ireland, Japan and South Africa as well as the five-pronged defence from horses trained in the United Arab Emirates.
So You Think represents myriad international interests – from New Zealand, where he was bred, to Australia, where he was feted, to Ireland, where he is now trained by Aidan O’Brien.
He will be ridden by O’Brien’s son Joseph.
A potential problem for the jockey is that So You Think is drawn in stall four, well away from natural frontrunners Game On Dude, Capponi (stall 11) and Transcend (10).
Transcend finished runner-up to his Japanese compatriot Victoire Pisa in the Dubai World Cup 12 months ago.
“He is in the same condition as he was before last year’s race,” Transcend’s trainer Takayuki Yasuda said. “I am hopeful he can avenge that loss.”
Four of the five locally-trained runners represent Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin stable. The sheikh’s principal jockey, Frankie Dettori, has elected to ride Prince Bishop.
Silvestre De Sousa and Mickael Barzalona, both recently put on retainers by Godolphin, are aboard Mendip and Monterosso respectively. Monterosso finished third in the Dubai World Cup 12 months ago.
Although betting is outlawed in Dubai, So You Think is favoured ahead of Smart Falcon and Game On Dude in international betting markets.
Also in the line-up is Royal Delta, whose trainer Bill Mott won the inaugural Dubai World Cup with Cigar in 1996.
