Kentucky-bred Laurel River turned in a stunning performance in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) at Meydan on Saturday, March 30. A Juddmonte Farms homebred son of Into Mischief, Laurel River turned the World Cup into a one-horse procession.
Moved from trainer Bob Baffert in the U.S. to Dubai-based trainer Bhupat Seemar in the summer of 2023, Laurel River stamped his ticket to the World Cup with an emphatic score in the Burj Nahaar Stakes (G3) at Meydan on Super Saturday. Laurel River drew widest of all in post 12 in the World Cup. The outside draw did not hinder him.
Under Tadhg O’Shea, Laurel River strolled to the front in the early stages of the World Cup. Left on his own throughout, Laurel River proved uncatchable, winning by a record 8 ½ lengths at the finish, covering 1 ¼ miles in 2:21.31. Defending World Cup champion Ushba Tesoro (JPN) finished second, and Kentucky-bred Senor Buscador finished third. The record margin of victory was greater than the winning margin of Dubai Millennium, who won the 2000 World Cup at Mad al Sheba by six lengths.
“I’m still coming to terms with what’s happened,” said Seemar. “I think it’ll probably sink in in another day or two. It’s absolutely amazing. He’s got so much natural speed. Tadhg was able to get some easy fractions and then I saw Defunded coming on his outside. But he just kept on going further. I expected to see all the closers flying at him, but he kept going.
“I was a small kid when I was watching these colors winning some of the biggest races in the world,” Seemar continued. “What the late Prince Khalid Abdullah has done for racing is amazing. I couldn’t believe I was going to be training the horse for that farm in those colors. And now, to win of the world’s great races for them is unbelievable.”
Laurel River is by perennial leading sire Into Mischief out of the Empire Maker mare Calm Water. Now a winner in six of 10 lifetime starts, he has amassed earnings of more than $7.4 million.