Style and elegance were the order of the day for over 70,000 guests who attended the 2017 Dubai World Cup on March 25, the biggest sporting and social occasion on the Dubai calendar to see California-based champion Arrogate, win the $10 Million prize. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Dubai Crown Prince, opened the Dubai World Cup, which included racing as well as fashion competitions and post-race 70-minute concert by Australian pop star Sia featuring her biggest hits. The ‘Cheap Thrills’ and ‘Chandelier’ singer, who made her first appearance in the UAE, took to the Apron Views concert stage following the race at the Dubai’s exquisite Meydan Racecourse.
Arrogate’s victory in the Dubai World Cup propelled him to become became the highest-earning horse in history with a stunning last-to-first victory, surpassing California Chrome, winner of the same race last year. Arrogate faced 13 rivals in the UAE’s flagship race as one of two runners for trainer Bob Baffert. After missing the start and falling far behind, Arrogate unleashed one of the most spectacular performances in the 22-year history of the Dubai World Cup as he powered home to a two-and-a-quarter-length victory, covering the 2,000 meters in 2 minutes, 2.15 seconds, slower than the course record set by California Chrome last year.
The four-year-old colt has won over $17 million in prize money, more than any other horse in racing history for winning seven races out of eight in his career. He came to the UAE as the world’s best racehorse of 2016. Beaten just once, on debut, in seven career outings, Arrogate ended 2016 by beating last year’s Dubai World Cup winner, California Chrome, in the $ 6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic and was the runaway winner of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup in January. Arrogate was also crowned Longines World’s Best Racehorse at a ceremony in London. His next main target will be defending his Breeders’ Cup crown in November.
The Dubai World Cup also featured the Style Stakes, a fashion event celebrating the most stylish and creative men and women, all competing to be voted the best in various categories such as best dressed lady and gentleman, best dressed couple, most creative hat and more. Ana Pribylova, named Best Dressed Lady (she won Best Hat last year), wore a floral pink dress from Chi Chi London and a matching headpiece of her own creation, while Nader Tearab, named Best Dressed Man for the second year in a row, donned a self-made peach pink suit, complemented by a floral tie and mint green accents. Tearab and Pribylova were among hundreds who participated in the annual fashion contest where prizes included vouchers from Top Shop, Top Man, HTC smart phones and hotel stays.
Attracting high profile owners, trainers, horses and jockeys, the Dubai World Cup is not only the world’s richest day of racing, but also a day when racing communities from all corners of the globe come together. Dubai Racing Club received 1,549 nominations for 779 horses from 22 countries for the 2017 Dubai World Cup day. There were eight races carded for the Dubai World Cup with $29 million in purse money at stake. The marquee race was the $10 million Dubai World Cup. In years past, it has been won by horses including Cigar, Silver Charm and California Chrome.
