Dubai World Cup Website http://www.dubaiworldcup.com/
Favorite Electrocutionist Starts From the Rail in Dubai World Cup
Mar 24, 12:26 PM (ET)
http://sports.iwon.com/news/03242006/v9051.html
By JIM KRANE
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Electrocutionist is the favorite for Saturday's $6 million Dubai World Cup, even with an unfavorable post position.
A two-time Group 1 stakes winner in Europe, Electrocutionist will leave from the inside No. 1 post when he takes on 10 rivals in the world's richest horse race at Nad Al Sheba in this beachfront sheikdom.
In the first 10 World Cups, not one horse starting from the rail has finished in the top three.
"It will take a special horse to win from there," said Simon Crisford, Godolphin Racing's manager. "It was always going to be difficult. Now it will be much more difficult."
The World Cup is the showcase event on a seven-race card with $21.25 million in prize money.
While Electrocutionist, owned by Dubai's royal family, has been installed as an 11-10 favorite by British bookmaker William Hill, top horses from around the world are set for the nearly 1 1/4-mile race.
U.S.-based horses have won five World Cups, including the last two. Five horses from the U.S. are in Saturday's field, led by Brass Hat, winner of three in a row including a 4}-length victory in the Donn Handicap.
"I think he's going to get a chance to show the world how good he is," said Brass Hat jockey Willie Martinez.
The other U.S.-based horses running for the first prize of $3.6 million are Magna Graduate, Choctaw Nation, Super Frolic and Wilko.
Another top challenger is Kane Hekili from Japan, a winner in eight of 12 career starts including the 2005 Japan Cup Dirt.
"He's a tough dirt horse," said Matt Howard, spokesman for the Dubai Racing Club. "The Japanese media are just going mad about him."
Magna Graduate, fourth in the Donn Handicap run over a sloppy track, will leave from the No. 8 post and be ridden by John Velazquez, trainer Todd Pletcher's regular rider. The 4-year-old Magna Graduate won his last three starts of 2005, including the Clark Handicap.
"He's a tough horse, he's been training very well here," Howard said.
A record 19 U.S.-based horses are entered on the day; nine horses are here from Japan.
-In the $5 million Dubai Duty Free, Pletcher's Host and trainer Richard Mandella's The Tin Man lead the U.S. contingent, with Fields of Omagh trying to give Australia a second win in a row. Elvstroem won last year.
- Ouija Board, a 5-year-old mare and 2004 Eclipse Award winner, leads a 14-horse field for the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic.
- Proud Tower Too and Thor's Echo challenge favorite Heart Alone in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, a six-furlong sprint. Heart Alone is from Brazil, but is based in Dubai and trained by Ismail Mohammed.
- The $2 million UAE Derby features Discreet Cat, owned by Godolphin Racing, and Simpatico Bribon, bred in Chile but Saudi owned and trained.
- The $1 million Godolphin Mile features Kentucky-bred Jack Sullivan, who won the Al Maktoum Challenge two years in a row. The colt finished fourth in last year's World Cup.
