With Advance Wagering offered this Friday, there will be a strong sense of Santa Anita when the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) is run Saturday at Meydan Racecourse.
The two favorites for the 26th edition of the Group 1 event at about 1 1/8 miles, Hot Rod Charlie and Life Is Good, both have an intrinsic connection to Santa Anita, which is Hot Rod Charlie's home base.
Life Is Good displayed his world-class potential at the historic Arcadia, Calif., oval as a 3-year-old when trained by Bob Baffert, winning the Grade 3 Sham Stakes and the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes.
“We're optimistic,” said Doug O'Neill, trainer of Hot Rod Charlie, a 4-year-old son of Oxbow who already has earned $2,721,200 with a 4-3-3 record from 14 career starts. He most recently won the Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2) Feb. 4 at Meydan.
O'Neill is well aware Hot Rod will have something to pursue in Life Is Good, now trained by Todd Pletcher and winner of six of seven races, including a dominant front-running score over reigning Horse of the Year Knicks Go in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 29.
“Flavien (Prat, who rides Hot Rod Charlie) knows the horse well, so we're optimistic for a good run,” O'Neill said from Santa Anita Sunday morning prior to leaving for Dubai on Tuesday.
“Our staff has been showing Hot Rod a lot of love every day they've been with him in Dubai,” O'Neill added. “He's ready to go.
“It's going to be a great race.”
The Dubai World Cup offers the winner $7.2 million. The entire World Cup program airs Saturday on TVG starting at 7:30 a.m. ET.
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