The 2019

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 wher ...

was a

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

run at

Meydan Racecourse Meydan Racecourse is a racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The grandstand is over a mile in length, and can accommodate over 60,000 spectators. Meydan opened on 27 March 2010, replacing Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, which formerly occupi ...

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

on 30 March 2019. It was the 24th running of the race. The total prize money for the race was US$12 million, with the winner receiving $7.2 million. This was an increase of $2 million on the previous year, making it the world's richest horse race in 2019. The race was won for the second year running by

Thunder Snow Thunder Snow (foaled 24 March 2014) is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, the only two-time winner of the Dubai World Cup (2018, 2019). In 2016 he won a minor race on his track debut but was then beaten in his next four races although he ran ...

, who became the first horse to win the Dubai World Cup twice.

Entries

A total of 13 horses were entered for the race, including Godolphin's defending champion

, who was bidding to become the first horse to win the race for a second time. Al Maktoum Challenge winners North America ( Rounds 1 and 2) and Capezzano (

Round 3 ''Round 3'' is Kim Hyun-joong's third Korean mini-album, which was released on July 22, 2013. Background and development Two days after the "2013 KHJ Show - Party People" fanmeeting in Seoul, Korea, KeyEast stated that Kim would be releasing hi ...

) headed a strong local challenge from the United Arab Emirates, which also included Axelrod, Gronkowski and New Trails. The United States was also well represented with

Pegasus World Cup The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race whose first running was on January 28, 2017 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. It is run over the dirt at the distance of miles (9 furlongs) and is o ...

runner-up Seeking The Soul,

Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October o ...

runner-up

Gunnevera Gunnevera (foaled February 28, 2014) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Orphaned from an early age, he became the leading juvenile earner from the first crop of Dialed In. He was a contender on the 2017 Road to the Kentucky Derby, winning t ...

, along with Audible, Pavel and Yoshida. The field was completed by Japanese challenger K T Brave and the Korean-trained Dolkong.

Road to Meydan

The contenders' results in key races during the build-up to the Dubai World Cup.

Race card

The draw for the race was made on 27 March. K T Brave was later withdrawn, reducing the field to 12.

Race

Summary

North America was fastest out of the gates and took an early lead, with defending champion

breaking well from the second widest draw to move in behind the leader, alongside Capezzano, who was pulling hard on the inside. As the horses settled, Gronkowski moved through to challenge North America for the lead, with the leaders closely followed by

, Capezzano and New Trails. The positions at the front of the race remained unchanged until the final bend, where Capezzano and New Trails quickly faded. Into the home straight, North America started to drop back as

challenged Gronkowski for the lead. The two horses, now clear of the rest of the field, battled all the way to the line, with

getting up to win by a nose in a

photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the finis ...

, becoming the first horse to win two Dubai World Cups.

ran on from the back to take third place, with Pavel staying on to finish fourth.

Full result

References

External links

Dubai Racing ClubEmirates Racing Authority
{{Dubai World Cup Dubai World Cup