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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cigar Adds Wet Going To Challenges In Dubai American Star Draws 8th Post For World’s Richest Horse Race

Associated Press

Everyone knew that Cigar, America’s 1995 Horse of the Year, would face many challenges when he traveled to Dubai in search of his 14th straight victory.

But no one thought they would include a waterlogged racetrack in a nation famous for its parched deserts.

For some reason, the United Arab Emirates already has had its worst rainy season since it began keeping records in 1968. And the dry season isn’t even supposed to begin until next month.

That has left the trainers of the 11 thoroughbred horses who will compete in Wednesday’s $4 million Dubai World Cup concerned about how wet Nad Al Sheba race course will be.

“Yesterday, the course was still a bit muddy and uneven, and I think the track managers aren’t used to this kind of rainfall here,” Cigar’s trainer, Bill Mott, said. “But it should be in better shape by race day, if it doesn’t rain again.”

In a nation that normally only receives 3.4 inches of rain during its rainy season, four times that amount already has fallen, including six inches in March.

On Friday, nearly an inch of rain fell, soaking the track in Dubai, and on March 12th, 3-1/2 came down, flooding everything from the international airport to the city’s streets.

On Sunday, horses trained at Nad Al Sheba in the morning, and Cigar, who had never raced at night, worked out under the lights, doing a half mile in 49-1/5. Then, late Sunday night, Dubai was soaked by another downpour.

Cigar, the winner of 13 straight races, is the top attraction at the World Cup, which will be the richest race ever. The winner will take home $2.4 million.

But in addition to running at night, Cigar will be racing for the first time over Nad Al Sheba’s sandy surface, which is similar to Belmont Park’s.

A bruise on one of his feet prevented Cigar from racing in the Santa Anita Handicap in February, and he missed 11 days of training. But Mott said on Sunday that Cigar is fully recovered and has been working out well since he reached Dubai last week.

The United States is one of the few countries that allow thoroughbreds to use drugs, so Cigar also had to stop taking Lasix, the anti-bleeding medication, before arriving in Dubai.

Eleven were entered for the race on Sunday, with Cigar drawing the No. 8 post position. Also in the field from the United States is L’Carriere, runner-up to Cigar in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Soul of the Matter.

The field includes four horses owned by the Maktoum family of Dubai - Halling, Larrocha, Tamayaz and Torrential. The rest of the field is comprised of Needle Gun and Pentire, both of Britain; Danewin of Australia, and Lively Mount of Japan.