Post-Position Draw Set for $30.5 Million Dubai World Cup Night at Meydan

Yoshito Yahagi drew gate six during the post-position ceremony at Meydan Racecourse on Wednesday morning, locking in the assignment for Forever Young as the Japanese superstar prepares to chase the one prize that has eluded him at this track. With $30.5 million in prize money across nine races, the Dubai World Cup night will once again attract the finest horses, trainers, and jockeys from across the globe.

Forever Young will break from gate 6 in a field of nine going 1 1/4 miles on the dirt at Meydan Racecourse, with jockey Ryusei Sakai in the irons. Last year, Forever Young could manage only third in the Dubai World Cup behind Hit Show, and the Japanese five-year-old is now attempting the Saudi Cup-Dubai World Cup double after winning the Saudi Cup for the second year running. Yahagi adjusted his prep accordingly: "We decided to give him lighter work than originally planned due to the fast-track conditions here at Meydan," the trainer said. "There were no problems. He's in better shape than he was in Saudi Arabia. I think he's in fantastic condition."

Hit Show, trained by Brad Cox for Wathnan Racing, drew alongside Forever Young in gate 5 and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who was aboard for last year's upset victory. Joining Hit Show among the two U.S.-based horses is Magnitude, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who drew the rail and comes into the race off victories in the Clark Stakes and the Razorback Handicap. Jose Ortiz will travel to take the mount on Magnitude.

The gate assignments set up some pointed tactical battles. Trainer Bhupat Seemar, who saddles both Walk Of Stars from gate 3 and Imperial Emperor from gate 7, laid out his two-pronged approach with unusual candor. Of Walk Of Stars, he said: "It's a perfect draw. He's got a lot of speed, and from stall three he can dominate and display his natural speed." Of Imperial Emperor, Seemar added: "It's perfect in seven. Forever Young is on the inside of him and he is going to be the favourite. He's the right horse to follow. Tadhg can just jump and follow him, hopefully all the way to the line, and hopefully we can be a head or a length in front."

Doug Watson was equally direct about the benefits of drawing wide for Tap Leader in gate 8. "We wanted to be on the outside. A couple of times he got in the middle of it and we had to check him a couple of times in his last race. From stall eight he should be able to keep his momentum up for the entire race," Watson said. Tumbarumba's trainer Hamad Al Jehani found comfort in the outermost post: "Very happy. It's not a big field with only nine horses. Stall 9 gives us options, we can choose the best place for our horse during the race."

Stall 1 went to Magnitude, while the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Meydaan, the winner of last month's G2 Al Maktoum Classic, is drawn next door in gate 2. Heart Of Honor, trained by Jamie Osborne, will break from stall 4, though his trainer is hoping the gate proves a non-issue after an alarming effort at his previous start. "We were happy with him going into his last run and I'm hanging my hat on the fact that he reared up and Adrie [de Vries] said he banged his head on the top [of the stalls] very hard," Osborne said. "I am hopeful that is a legitimate excuse. We know he's never going to be quick away, but he doesn't need to be as slow as he was that day."

The undercard draws were equally newsworthy. Calandagan, rated the 2025 Longines World's Best Racehorse with a 130 rating, carries a four-race winning streak into the $6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic from stall 2 in a field of six. In the $5 million Dubai Turf, Ombudsman will break from gate 7, with defending champion Facteur Cheval alongside him in gate 6.

The sprinting divisions produced a natural rematch in the making. Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Bentornato drew gate 2 for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, while Lazzat is housed in stall 7, two away from his Riyadh conqueror Reef Runner in gate 5, for the $2 million Al Quoz Sprint. Bentornato's trainer Jose D'Angelo acknowledged the inside draw was not ideal for a horse with natural speed but remained optimistic: "He's handled the trip perfectly over here and he really likes this track too. Last time he was here (in the Middle East), he was unlucky to run against Forever Young and Book'em Danno. Hopefully, this time he wins."

Marking its 30th running, the Dubai World Cup returns to Meydan Racecourse on Saturday, March 28. First staged in 1996, the race day has established itself as the pinnacle of the global horseracing calendar. For Forever Young, who has 11 wins from 14 career starts and more than $29.3 million in earnings, the only thing missing from his résumé is a Dubai World Cup title.