On March 30, at the prestigious Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, Laurel River made history by winning the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) by a huge margin of 8 1/2 lengths. This impressive victory was a major upset in one of the richest races in the world.
Laurel River, owned and bred by Juddmonte Farm, took control of the race right from the start, running from the 12th position and maintaining that lead throughout. Jockey Tadhg O’Shea and trainer Bhupat Seemar celebrated their second victory of the day after already winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) earlier with Tuz.
The 6-year-old horse, a son of Into Mischief previously trained by Bob Baffert, completed the 2,000 meters (approximately 1 1/4 miles) race in an impressive time of 2:02.31. Laurel River had won the Burj Nahaar (G3) at Meydan on March 2 before this exceptional performance at the Dubai World Cup.
The race was filled with excitement and unexpected turns, making Laurel River’s victory all the more remarkable. Last year’s Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro finished second, just ahead of Senor Buscador, who had won the Saudi Cup (G1). This thrilling race showcased once again why it is known as one of the most exciting and unpredictable events in horse racing.
