1645 - World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline result

1st Arrogate (1/3 favourite)

2nd Gun Runner (7/1)

3rd Neolithic (25/1)

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Odds-on favourite Arrogate produced a spectacular performance to win the Dubai World Cup as he overcame a slow break and unpromising position to power to glory at Meydan.

The Breeders' Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner was squeezed out at the start and was immediately on the back foot.

At one stage he must have been some 20 lengths behind the leader, but jockey Mike Smith did not panic and going down the back straight worked his way into the race.

Rounding the turn for home he was making up many lengths, although Gun Runner appeared to have stolen a march.

But in a display befitting of the world's highest-rated horse, Arrogate found another gear and bounded clear to give Baffert a third win in the 10-furlong showpiece after Silver Charm (1998) and Captain Steve (2001).





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Bob Baffert said: "When he missed the break, I gave him no chance at all.

"I was so mad at myself thinking I shouldn't have brought him - that's the greatest horse I've ever seen run, it's unbelievable, I can't believe he won. That is a great horse.

"Mike did a great job, he didn't panic.

"When he turned for home I said 'If he wins he's the greatest since Secretariat'."

He went on: "I can't believe we won that race. On the turn for home from being last early on he used that tremendous long stride and he gobbled up the ground.

"The whole crowd breathed a big sigh when it looked that he had so much to do and I felt, 'wow, we've no chance'.

"I have to admit, I have my heart doctor here and for a few moments I was on red alert. If anyone in racing wasn't super impressed with that, well they must be seriously missing something.

"Sitting back there, Mike let the big kid gather himself and as soon as he saw them in front of him he picked up in an amazing way.

"I got very emotional as it was like a Hollywood-style finish.

"I think we now need to sit back with Prince Khalid (Abdullah, owner) and give this horse a nice break because the Breeders' Cup Classic is the one to win."

Smith said: "When I missed the break I immediately thought of Zenyatta. I thought 'I've got so much confidence in this horse I'm going to ride him like Zenyatta' and it paid off.

"I don’t know if the guy misunderstood me, but I said make sure you keep his head straight. And then he got out instead.

"My horse just didn’t realise he had to break. But you know what? Things happen for a reason.

"He was slipping and sliding from the word go. Once I got to the outside and he straightened out, he levelled out and I made up five lengths so quick. I thought okay, we’re here. I just tried to be patient and not lose ground. It worked out great. He’s the greatest I’ve ever been on.

"Bob (Baffert) had a heart attack last time he was here (in Dubai in 2012) and I think I had one too. I had to hit my heart about three times to get it pumping after that start.

"This horse can do anything. He can win in the lead, he can come from dead last, he hasn't even taken a breath.

"I get a lot of the glory, but there's a big team who deserve a lot of credit."

Florent Geroux, rider of Gun Runner, said: "It took him a little while to get position early on. Long River came out running hard from my inside and it took my horse two or three more strides to get position.

"Once he did and was comfortable on the turn, it was exactly where I wanted to be. If someone wanted to go faster, I could let them go, but I was comfortable.

"On the last turn, Long River started to back out and we took the lead and my horse was going really easily. He started flicking his ears back and forth and was cruising. I waited as long as I could - almost until the eighth-pole - but Arrogate went by me.

"Gun Runner was trying and was fighting with him all the way to the end. He's still getting better and before I wasn't sure about the 2000m, but now as he's improving I think it's fine."

Gun Runner's trainer Steve Asmussen said: "Gun Runner shows up. We're very proud of him and very fortunate to be associated with him and the class that he shows under any circumstance. Florent gave him a great ride and gave him the best shot he could and he was second-best today. I think that everybody admires the qualities that this colt has."

Johnny Velazquez, who rode the third, Neolithic, said: "I think it was a good race and we have run into a champion, but he ran super and was doing his best work at the finish."

Christophe Soumillon said of fourth-home Mubtaahij: "Every time he runs he gives you his all and that was the same today.

"I got a good sit on him from a poor draw and he ran his heart out."

His trainer Mike De Kock said: "It was a super-human effort to get over from stall 14 and you can rely on him with the accuracy of a Swiss watch.

"If he comes out of this OK I'm very keen to take him to Hong Kong and have a crack at the QEII Cup."

Javier Castellano, rider of Keen Ice: "I had a good trip. I didn’t expect it that they would go really fast. From what I could tell he didn’t like the track. It had been raining a lot. He didn’t try at all today, unfortunately."

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