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Due To Minor Issue, Tacitus Will Miss Dubai World Cup For Second Straight Year

Juddmonte Farm's Tacitus will not make his next expected start in the March 27 Dubai World Cup, reports the Daily Racing Form. The gray son of Tapit and champion Close Hatches may have banged his hind leg on something and was found to be sore for several days, said Juddmonte general manager Garrett O'Rourke.

“They checked him out and recommended just to walk him for a few weeks. Hopefully nothing serious there, but everything has to go perfect for a race of that caliber,” O'Rourke told DRF.

Tacitus was shipped straight to Dubai from Saudi Arabia, where he finished fifth, beaten over 15 lengths in the Saudi Cup on Feb. 20. The Bill Mott trainee also missed last year's edition of the Dubai World Cup after shipping to the UAE, when the races were cancelled due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The big gray's record currently stands at 4-4-3 from 16 starts for earnings of $3.7 million.

Saudi Cup Winner Mishriff Tops World’s Best Racehorse Rankings; Life Is Good Highest-Rated 3-Year-Old

In his first start of the year, Mishriff (IRE) [122] won the Saudi Cup, and the Great Britain-based 4-year-colt leads the first edition of the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2021 as a result.

LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings Leading Horses click here for complete rankings
Rank	Horse	Rating	Trained
1	MISHRIFF (IRE)	122	GB
2	NATURE STRIP (AUS)	121	AUS
3	CHARLATAN (USA)	120	USA
3	EXULTANT (IRE)	120	HK
3	GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS)	120	HK
6	KNICKS GO (USA)	119	USA
6	LIFE IS GOOD (USA)	119	USA
6	RAINBOW BRIDGE (SAF)	119	SAF

Mishriff posted a one length victory in the Saudi Cup over Charlatan [120], who was also making his first start of 2021. Last year, Mishriff's biggest score came when he won the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) in France.

Australia's Nature Strip (AUS) [121] is the second highest rated horse in the first edition of the rankings for 2021 after his half-length win in the Black Caviar Lightning (G1) in February, which served as the multiple Group 1 winner's first start of the season.

In co-third, along with Charlatan, are Hong Kong-based runners Exultant [120] and Golden Sixty (AUS) [120]. Golden Sixty, who has now won 13 races in a row, took the Stewards' Cup (G1) in January over Southern Legend [118] and Ka Ying Star [117], and he beat Furore [117] and Exultant in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1) in February. Exultant came into that race having finished second in the Centenary Vase (G3) while carrying 133lbs.

Three horses sit in the co-sixth position as well. America's Knicks Go [119], who finished fourth in the Saudi Cup, started his 2021 campaign with a 2 ¾-length victory in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), while undefeated Life Is Good [119] is the highest rated 3-year-old thus far after winning the San Felipe Stakes (G2) by eight lengths.

In South Africa, Rainbow Bridge [119] added to his list of accomplishments by taking the Cape Town Met presented by Cape Racing (G1) in January by 1 ¾ lengths.

The post Saudi Cup Winner Mishriff Tops World’s Best Racehorse Rankings; Life Is Good Highest-Rated 3-Year-Old appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Flashback: Velazquez, Romans Win 2005 Dubai World Cup With Roses In May

The Dubai World Cup meeting celebrates its historic 25th anniversary on March 27, with six Group 1 races and three Group 2s, including one of the world's premier races, the $12 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Over the next three weeks, the Dubai Racing Club will pay tribute to each of the previous Dubai World Cup winners. Today, we rewind to 2005 when Roses In May won the Dubai World Cup.

The increase in quality at the second Dubai International Racing Carnival (now the Dubai World Cup Carnival) was no more evident than in the 10th running of the Dubai World Cup. Jack Sullivan (Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2, Burj Nahaar), Yard-Arm (Al Fahidi Fort), and Chiquitin (Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3) had all progressed through the Carnival ranks to the Dubai World Cup. Meeting them was the usual strong contingent from America including the previous year's UAE Derby winner Lundy's Liability and Roses In May, whose only defeat during 2004 had come when second to Ghostzapper in the Breeders Cup Classic.

Dynever had proven to be one of America's leading race horses but would represent Saudi Arabia on World Cup night having being purchased by local interests after finishing second to King's Boy in the King's Cup over 3,400m (about 2 1/8 miles). King's Boy had returned for the third time while the Japanese presence was made up of the high-class dirt performer Adjudi Mitsuo.

It was Roses In May however that impressed all on his arrival and his work leading into the event justified favoritism. The starring, dominating role played by Roses In May belied what appeared, on paper, an evenly matched field. The almost black horse was allowed to settle in fifth place by his jockey John Velazquez, the horse enjoying the early speed set by Yard-Arm, Chiquitin and Elmustanser. Shortly before the home turn, Velazquez decided to take the race to his opponents and Roses In May launched his bid. Whilst clear turning for home, the 600m (three furlong) straight would not be something the horse was used to after the tight turning American tracks. The question was, would he hold on?

Chocktaw Nation was the first to issue a challenge, but Roses In May defied it and the long Nad Al Sheba straight proved a benefit rather than a hindrance as he asserted his superiority with every stride. Dynever came from near last to make up good ground to be second, however he was never a match for Roses In May, whose official margin was three lengths. Chocktaw Nation held on gamely for third while Jack Sullivan ran the race of his life in finishing fourth, just ahead of Congrats and Adjudi Mitsuo.

After the race, Roses In May's trainer – Dale Romans – described his confidence going into the event and explained the tactics of Velazquez in going earlier than usual: “I thought the only way we could get beaten was if we had some bad luck, I wanted to take the race to them, I knew he had the stamina and that no one else could catch him.”

Roses In May's retirement was announced shortly after his return to America, going on to assume stallion duties in Japan in 2006.

The post Flashback: Velazquez, Romans Win 2005 Dubai World Cup With Roses In May appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Santa Anita’s San Simeon Wide-Open Fields Includes Bob And Jackie, Defending Champ Cistron

In what appears to be a completely wide-open affair at six furlongs on turf, classy Bob and Jackie looks to rate a big chance cutting back in distance for Richard Baltas as he faces sharp recent winner Gregorian Chant, defending champ Cistron and Brazilian-bred Jolie Olimpica, who will be facing males for the first time in North America in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 San Simeon Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Second, beaten 3 ¾ lengths as the 2-1 favorite by rising star Hit the Road (who took this past Saturday's Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile) in the G3 Thunder Road Stakes at one mile on turf Feb. 6, Bob and Jackie will be sprinting for the first time since his debut at age two on Oct. 20, 2018, when he was a close second going 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course.

A three-time minor stakes winner at one mile on grass at ages two, three and four, Bob and Jackie has won four out of his 10 lifetime starts — all in combination with Heriberto Figueroa, who will be replaced on Saturday by Drayden Van Dyke. Owned by Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran, Bob and Jackie, a 5-year-old horse by Twirling Candy, has ample natural speed and will likely be in close early attendance, despite the fact he's cutting back in distance. With an overall mark of 10-4-3-1, Bob and Jackie has earnings of $269,551.

Trained by Phil D'Amato, English-bred Gregorian Chant, who was cutting back in distance off of 11 consecutive routes, came roaring from off the pace to register an emphatic 2 1/4-length win in the restricted Clockers' Corner Stakes versus seven rivals at six furlongs on turf Jan. 24 and appears to be a horse who's perhaps found a new niche in partnership with jockey Juan Hernandez. With the likes of Cistron in the lineup, Gregorian Chant, who is owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC and Michael Nentwig, should have a solid pace to run at on Saturday as he seeks his first graded stakes win.

A winner of last year's San Simeon two starts back when it was contested at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, John Sadler's Cistron has been idle since running fifth in the G3 Dayton Stakes at 5 ½ on turf on May 23, 2020. A G1 winner on dirt, Cistron, a 7-year-old full horse by top sprinter The Factor, will be ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli. With an overall mark of 29-6-7-6 and earnings of $762,719, Cistron should show plenty of early zip off the bench as he seeks his fourth graded stakes victory for Hronis Racing, LLC.

A Group I and Group III stakes winner versus males at age three in her native Brazil, Richard Mandella's Jolie Olimpica will be suiting up against males for the first time in America as Mandella seeks to keep her at six furlongs on turf. Second, beaten 2 ½ lengths as the even money favorite by Charmaine's Mia (who came back to take the G2 Buena Vista Stakes) in the six furlong turf Las Cienegas Stakes Jan. 9, Jolie Olimpica will be making her second start off of a seven month layoff and should give a good account of herself with regular rider Mike Smith back aboard. A 5-year-old mare by Drosselmeyer, Jolie Olimpica is owned by Fox Hill Farms, Inc., and has won a pair of graded stakes for Mandella in five stateside starts and she's compiled an overall mark of 8-5-3-0.

GRADE 3 SAN SIMEON WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Barristan The Bold—Abel Cedillo—120
Gregorian Chant—Juan Hernandez—122
Bob and Jackie—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Sombeyay—Flavien Prat—120
Cistron—Umberto Rispoli—122
Shashashakemeup—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
Jolie Olimpica—Mike Smith—117
Sparky Ville—Ruben Fuentes—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can wager at 1^st.com/bet. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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