Even before Thunder Snow (IRE) dominated the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1), the home team colors of Godolphin blue flashed home first in three of the four turf races on the program, including both of the $6 million events.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien said Mendelssohn had questions to answer coming into the UAE Derby Sponsored By Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) March 31 at Meydan.
Should things go well for them in Dubai, trainer Aidan O'Brien's 3-year-olds are poised for an all-out assault on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
Japan holds a strong hand in two of the three non-sprint grass races on the Dubai World Cup undercard and, in the third, the Aga Khan's Vazirabad (FR) will be running for a "three-peat."
The band certainly won't be playing "My Old Kentucky Home" when an international field of 3-year-olds takes the track March 31 at Meydan for the UAE Derby (G2), but connections of several starters also are thinking about a trip to Louisville.
Australia's star mare Winx, the winner of 24 straight races, including 17 at the group 1 level, will not travel to Royal Ascot this spring, trainer Chris Waller announced March 28.
Estijaab (AUS) overcame the outside gate to lead home an all-filly top-three finish March 24 in the Longines Golden Slipper (G1) at Rosehill Gardens—billed as the world's richest race for 2-year-olds.
Winx had to work for it, but the mighty mare snagged her 24th straight victory with a determined stretch run in The Agency George Ryder Stakes (G1) at Rosehill Gardens March 24.
A huge purse and a full, competitive field of 2-year-olds have Australian fans anxiously awaiting the March 24 renewal of the Longines Golden Slipper (G1) at Rosehill Gardens.
Nothing could totally overshadow the March 24 renewal of the Golden Slipper (G1) at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, but Winx showing up two races earlier on the same card does provide the cherry atop one of Australia's best race days.
Ping Hai Star (NZ) blazed an unusual trail to a rather dominating victory in the March 18 BMW Hong Kong Derby (G1).
Despite the proliferation of group 1 races at Sha Tin Racecourse, the BMW Hong Kong Derby is the high point of the season for locals and sometimes a pathway to the top levels for upwardly mobile horses.
North America, a 6-year-old son of Dubawi, was among the most impressive on Super Saturday at Meydan March 10, as the locally based horses sorted themselves out in preparation for the big night three weeks away.
Mendelssohn, making his first start since winning the 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar, led a 1-2-3 sweep for trainer Aidan O'Brien in the 32Red Patton Stakes at Dundalk March 9.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner Mendelssohn tops a trio entered by trainer Aidan O'Brien for the Patton Stakes March 9 at Dundalk in Ireland, the penultimate race in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Super Saturday at Meydan March 10 gives locally based horses a final shakedown for the big races on Dubai World Cup night three weeks later when many of the world's top horses will arrive.
Talismanic and Cloth of Stars kicked away from a quartet of outclassed rivals in the Darshaan Stakes at Chantilly March 6, with Talismanic winning by 1 1/4 lengths as both prepped for a trip to Dubai.
A new year, an even better Winx. Australia's super mare swept around the field into the straight in the March 3 TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (G1) at Randwick and easily strode out to her 23rd straight win—her 16th at the group 1 level.
The third time was the charm for Rayya, who rebounded from two straight losses to Winter Lightning (IRE) to land the UAE Oaks Sponsored by Al Nabooda Construction Group (G3) by an easy 3 3/4-lengths March 1 at Meydan.
Bitter cold and snow from the capriciously named winter storm forced abandonment of all English racing March 1, including the Road to the Kentucky Derby conditions stakes at Kempton, a European Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.
With her jockey back from suspension and the prospect of a foreign tour in her future, Australia's mighty mare Winx (AUS) seeks her 23rd straight win in the TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (G1) March 3 at Royal Randwick.
A key step on the "European Road to the Kentucky Derby" has fallen victim to "The Beast From the East"—bitter cold and snow sweeping in from Russia to complicate life in the British Isles.
Winter Lightning (IRE) and Rayya renew their rivalry March 1 at Meydan in the UAE Oaks Sponsored by Al Naboodah Construction Group (G3).
A pair of veteran Hong Kong campaigners doubled up on December group 1 victories Feb. 25, serving notice for would-be rivals eyeing late-season spoils over the Sha Tin turf.
Sunlight edged the favorite, Estijaab, in the Silver Slipper (G2) for 2-year-olds Feb. 24 at Rosehill Gardens, a potential sign of what is to come in next month's rich Golden Slipper (G1).
Japanese-bred runners finished 1-2 in the Italktravel Futurity Stakes (G1) at Caulfield in Melbourne, one of a trio of top-level events on the day's program.
Local favorite The Blue Eye (GB) swept by pacesetting American invader Money Multiplier in the stretch of the H. H. the Emir's Trophy (G1) Feb. 24 at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha to win the event for the second time in three years.
The Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (G1), at 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs), drew a field of nine including 2016 Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther (NZ). The card also features the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (G1).
The $1 million H.H. The Emir's Trophy, Presented by Longines, a group 1 in Qatar, has attracted an international field for the Feb. 24 renewal at Al Rayyan Racecourse in Doha—a group locals see as formidable.
Some of South Africa's brightest recent exports are prominent on the two featured races Feb. 22 at Meydan as the Dubai World Cup Carnival rolls along.
Nonkono Yume and Gold Dream both missed the break in the February Stakes (G1) Feb. 18 at Tokyo Racecourse but, after a furious stretch run, it was Nonkono Yume a neck in front of the favored Gold Dream at the finish.
Sumahama scored his third straight win in the Hyacinth Stakes Feb. 18 at Tokyo Racecourse and earned first dibs on Japan's spot in the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
The Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse Feb. 18 is the third and final leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and Ruggero (JPN) has the inside track to get the guaranteed slot in the Run for the Roses.
Japan's best dirt horse of 2017, Gold Dream (JPN), returns to action for his specialty in the Feb. 18 February Stakes (G1), a Breeders' Cup Challenge event that offers a guaranteed spot in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Godolphin unleashed another budding star in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors (G3) Feb. 15 at Meydan, as Gold Town kicked away from the field in the stretch to win by 10 1/2 lengths.
Gold Town (GB), a Street Cry colt running in Godolphin blue, will stretch out to a mile for the first time in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors Feb. 15 at Meydan.
Hartnell (GB) has never defeated Winx (AUS) in seven tries but, after his victory in the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (G1) at Caulfield Feb. 10, his trainer thinks the planets may be aligned for the eighth time to be the charm.
Group 1 winner Thunder Snow (IRE) and his half sister Winter Lightning (IRE) produced a double victory for the Godolphin "home team" Feb. 8 at Meydan Racecourse.
A month of top-class racing in Melbourne will get a flying start Feb. 10, with the likes of Hartnell and Black Heart Bart in a field of 14 for the Ladbrokes C. F. Orr Stakes (G1) at Caulfield.
The Al Maktoum Challenge Round II (G2), featuring Thunder Snow (IRE), Heavy Metal (GB), and Second Summer, is the marquee race as the 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival hits the midway point Feb. 8 at Meydan Racecourse.
The Stronach Group is studying improvements and expansion plans designed to keep the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
Youth was served in the Sun Met Celebrated with G.H. Mumm (G1) at Kenilworth Jan. 27, as Oh Susanna, the only 3-year-old and the only filly in the 18-horse field, prevailed by a half-length.
Many of South Africa's established stars will line up alongside a few aiming to shoulder them aside in the Sun Met Celebrated with G.H. Mumm (G1) Jan. 27 at Kenilworth.
The Global Sprint Challenge has been suspended for 2018 because of recently imposed restrictions on horse movement between Australia, where the series was to start with the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (G1) Feb. 17, and Hong Kong.
Time Flyer emerged from the back of the field and into the picture for next year's Japanese classics with a sweeping victory in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) Dec. 28 at Nakayama Racecourse.
The final grade 1 event of the Japanese season, the Hopeful Stakes at Nakayama Dec. 28, is a 2,000-meter test for 2-year-old prospects for the 2018 Classics that has attracted Gendarme, by Kitten's Joy; and Lucas, a full brother to Maurice.
In the final start of his stellar career, Kitasan Black (JPN) led from the first strides, was in control all the way, and won the Arima Kinen (G1) by a comfortable 1 1/2 lengths Dec. 24 to the delight of a roaring Nakayama Racecourse crowd.
In the final start of his career, six-time grade 1 winner Kitasan Black will try to land one of Japan's top prizes: the grade 1 Arima Kinen (Grand Prix), Dec. 24 at Nakayama.
Danon Premium (JPN) remained undefeated with a dominating, 3 1/2-length victory in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1) Dec. 17 at Hanshin Racecourse.
Le Vent Se Leve won the second leg of the "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby," the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, Dec. 13 at Kawasaki, earning 10 points toward a potential start in the 2018 Run for the Roses.
