When Dubai welcomed the world to old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse for the first time in 1996, ‘America’s Horse’ Cigar repelled what seemed an inevitable challenge from compatriot Soul of the Matter to help cement His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Makoum’s goal of creating a worldwide Thoroughbred spectacle in the Emirates. The eyes of the racing public were on sprawling Meydan Racecourse Saturday for the 30th renewal of the G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates–at $12 million now worth three times original pot–and Japan’s Horse of the Year and American Eclipse Award winner Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), looking to complete an unprecedented sequence of the world’s three richest dirt races. Ultimately it was not meant to be, as Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Magnitude (Not This Time) took control right out of the stalls and Forever Young–in the role Soul of the Matter–just plain ran out of real estate. The victory earns Magnitude a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland this fall.
Though Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen won the 2008 World Cup with Curlin (Smart Strike), Saturday’s victory would have been that much sweeter given what transpired on these grounds nine years ago. Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) turned into the stretch with what appeared to be a winning margin, but Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song), who was left at the break and looked hopelessly beaten, conjured up a rally for the ages beneath Mike Smith to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. To this year’s victors go the spoils. A What an incredible win,@ Asmussen, who did not make the trip over, said when reached by phone Saturday. AWe just wanted to let him to run his race from point A to point B. The horse is running with a lot of confidence and that gave us confidence. It unfolded just how we wanted it to. AIt’s so fitting that this team has won the Dubai World Cup,@ the conditioner continued. ARon Winchell, [racing manager] David Fiske, [assistant trainer] Scott Blasi. Our exercise rider Carlos [Rosas] also rode Curlin, so it’s a great win for the whole team.@ The World Cup program went forward without interruption Saturday evening just four weeks after U.S. and Israel attacks on Iran and subsequent fight-backs from the country located to the north, located across the much-discussed Strait of Hormuz.
Significant rainfall and wild electrical storms through the week cast further doubt on the meeting, but–with none other than Dubai’s ruler on hand to watch his talented Ombudsman (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) dominate the G1 Dubai Turf–it all came off without a reported hitch. A Marking its 30th year, this year’s Dubai World Cup is a new achievement for Emirati sport and yet another testament to our ability to organize world-class events,@ Sheikh Mohammed was quoted in a tweet from the Dubai Media Office. AHorses symbolize speed, strength and unbreakable determination, qualities reflected in the UAE and its people.@ In the evening’s grand finale, Magnitude was fleet of foot from the rail draw and led them along early, but Forever Young–not the quickest away–was bustled along by Ryusei Sakai to set up shop to his outside. Defending champ Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) settled just behind centerfield, with the likeable Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P.) caboosing the nine of them at the first corner. Bar a mid-race advance outside of horses from longshot Tap Leader (Tapiture), there were no real changes in the plot, but as they hit the second bend, Magnitude was still going nicely within himself, while Sakai was after Forever Young, urging the twotime Saudi Cup winner to keep pace. Asked to put the favorite to the sword at the 400-meter pole, Magnitude swapped leads effortlessly, while Forever Young was rather more labored, and found himself two lengths down with the World Cup slipping through his fingers for a second straight year. Despite ducking out to his right and swapping leads when Ortiz went for him left-handed deep inside that final furlong, Magnitude held sway by a length as Forever Young chipped away at it all too late. AWe knew we had a very good horse, but obviously Forever Young is the best horse in the world, said a tearful winning jockey Jose Ortiz. As for race strategy, Ortiz added: And We left all the options open–if he jumps well we can go to the lead, if somebody jumps better than him, just sit off, maybe behind the speed. He didn’t have a running start, but he jumped well and I knew it was time to go. I asked him to run and he was there for me.@ Ortiz wasn’t exactly ready to party the night away, with an DRC/Liesl King early-morning flight on the horizon on Sunday. “I’m not used to racing late at night under lights,” he said.
I’m hungry, I want to go and eat! We fly pretty early tomorrow so I’d rather wait and celebrate with my family and friends. Maybe we’ll have a cookout.@ The sky seemed the limit after Magnitude romped home in the 2025 GIII Risen Star Stakes (108 Beyer), but he was ruled off the Triple Crown trail only 48 hours later. Back to work with another big-figure, wide-margin victory in the July 5 Iowa Derby, he was as short as 7-2 against Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Travers Stakes, but could do no better than a distant third and was a good second to Baeza (McKinzie) in the GI Pennsylvania Derby a month later. Like Gun Runner at the back end of his sophomore season and into his 4-year-old year, Magnitude closed out 2025 with a defeat of his elders–including Hit Show–in the GII Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs, and he was supposed to make his 2016 return in Riyadh, only to have the trip called off at the 11th hour after spiking a fever. He did not lose much time and was back two weeks later, dominating Oaklawn’s GIII Razorback Handicap before being confirmed for the World Cup.
Following last year’s third-place effort, trainer Yoshito Yahagi suggested that Forever Young became worked up in the preliminaries, which negatively impacted his performance. After going one better, but still not quite good enough on Saturday, Yahagi reasoned that his charge doesn’t produce his best at Meydan. Forever Young covered stacks of ground and was more workmanlike than spectacular in winning the G2 UAE Derby in 2024. Sakai gave credit to the winner and said: AEverything went the way we planned but the winner was good today.@ Pedigree Notes: Magnitude is the 12th Grade I/Group 1 winner by Not This Time, each of which is from a mare by a unique broodmare sire. Daughters of the late Bernardini are now responsible for 22 elite-level scorers. Magnitude is just the second of those by a Storm Cat-line stallion (Sovereignty). Breeder Ron Stolich acquired dam Rockadelic for $140,000 carrying the colt that would become Magnitude at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale, then sold the foal for $310,000 and Rockdelic to Freddie Bloodstock for $110,000 carrying to McKinzie at KEENOV in 2022. Winchell Thoroughbreds gave $450,000 for Magnitude at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale. Rockadelic is a daughter of Octave, winner of the 2007 GI CCA Oaks and purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Godolphin for $4 million at Fasig-Tipton November later that fall after she finished second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Courtesy of the TDN.
