Dubai World Cup (Meydan Racecourse) Predictions, Betting Odds & Picks 2022

Check out our predictions and odds for the 2022 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse!

Best Bets for the Dubai World Cup

Here are my plays ($60 in total)

$5 Trifecta Part Wheel – Life Is Good over Hot Rod Charlie and Country Grammer over Midnight Bourbon, Magny Cours, Aero Trem and Remorse = $40

$10 Exacta Box – Hot Rod Charlie and Country Grammer = $20

If you’re playing only to win, go with my top pick Hot Rod Charlie (7/2).

Coming in off huge victories in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Life Is Good will look to conquer new worlds when he headlines a field of 11 older males set for Saturday’s $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse.

A son of Into Mischief, trained by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good will not only be making his first start outside of the United States, but at 2,000 meters (about 1 ¼ miles), he will also be tackling his longest distance to date.

Only once beaten in his career, the 4-year-old made an early claim as the world’s best dirt horse with an authoritative, front-running victory over the 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go in January’s Pegasus World Cup, while going 9 furlongs at Gulfstream Park.

Despite being far from home, Life Is Good’s top competition in the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup is expected to come from fellow Americans.

Hot Rod Charlie is always a tough customer and comes into Saturday’s test off an impressive win over the track. Having reached the wire first in three different $1 million races last year, the son of Oxbow looks to do even bigger things in 2022.

Although he was away for the better part of a year, Country Grammer came back running last time when a narrow runner-up in last month’s Saudi Cup (G1).

Proven at the distance, the Bob Baffert trainee won the 10 furlong Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in his last race before the layoff.

Often the bridesmaid, seldom the bride, Midnight Bourbon continues to run well in big races, and was a solid third last time behind Emblem Road and Country Grammer in the Saudi Cup.

Dubai World Cup Predictions and Race Analysis

Life Is Good

It’s hard to imagine starting off your career in more impressive fashion than this Todd Pletcher-trained 4-year-old has done. If not for a heartbreaking loss while giving every advantage to the top sprinter Jackie’s Warrior last summer, he would be perfect in seven career starts.

Whether it be dominating Medina Spirit early last year, or his recent runaway over Knicks Go in the Pegasus, he has always been a horse of unique talent. If he can once again break free from the field early, loping along on an effortless lead, he will likely cruise to the wire a winner for the seventh time in eight lifetime starts.

The ultra-talented son of Into Mischief is certainly the one to beat, but at short odds, away from home for the first time, and being asked to run farther than ever has before, I will take a small shot to beat him in here.

Hot Rod Charlie

Taken down from the win due to interference in the Grade 1 Haskell, this 4-year-old son of Oxbow actually finished first in three different million-dollar races in 2021.

Although he officially only won two of eight starts as a 3-year-old, he ran one strong race after another while competing in many of the biggest races in America.

His excellent run in last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, where he was hounded through fast fractions and still battled the champion Essential Quality down the Belmont Park stretch in the 1 ½ mile race is proof enough for me that he can take the race right to Life Is Good and still be strong for the later stages.

Life Is Good is obviously an imposing challenge, but with a nice prep win over the Meydan track, I could easily see him pull off the upset. He is the top pick. 

Country Grammer

What a nice performance by this son of Tonalist last time in the Grade 1 Saudi Cup. After being away from the races for nine months, he looked better than ever and was rather unlucky to be passed late and denied the victory.

Already proven at the classic distance, having won the Grade 1 Big Cap last spring, he should be well suited for this trip as he visits Meydan for the first time. With some tactical speed, he should be able to sit off Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon, as they chase Life Is Good early, and then have something left for the final quarter-mile.

Training well over the track, I don’t know if the Bob Baffert trainee wins it, but I expect another big effort.

Midnight Bourbon

Since winning the Grade 3 Lecomte to begin his 3-year-old season, this son of Tiznow has not been able to find the winner’s circle since. Still, he keeps trying as evidenced by second-place finishes in important races like the Preakness Stakes, Travers Stakes, and Pennsylvania Derby.

The Steve Asmussen-trained 4-year-old comes to Dubai after another solid performance when third in last month’s Saudi Cup, where he loomed large early in the stretch, but was ultimately outfinished by the winner and Country Grammer.

As has become expected, I expect another good effort, but not quite enough to get the win on Saturday.

Hypothetical

The local horse has won two in a row over the track and has made a career for himself running on the dirt at Meydan. Demonstrating his fondness for the surroundings, the son of Lope De Vega was good enough to finish fourth in the Dubai World Cup last year.

The 2022 edition looks a little tougher than last year’s race, though and despite his good form, coming off a nice victory in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, I think he will have a hard time chasing the Americans early and then holding off some of the late runners down the stretch.

Magny Cours

Godolphin has dominated this race in recent years but will send out a pair of longshots this year in hopes of securing their fourth straight win in the rich race. Of the two, I like this son of Medaglia d’Oro better as I believe he is best suited for dirt.

Trained by Andre Fabre, he was third in the 2021 edition, but then competed on turf for the rest of the season, with some success. Although his first race back this year was not good, I believe the return to Meydan and 10 furlongs will help.

The 7-year-old will need to improve upon his 10th place finish in the Saudi Cup, but his track record in this race has me believing that he can. I think he is once again a longshot to include in the exotics.

Real World

The other Godolphin runner has proven to be a top notch horse on the grass, but has yet to demonstrate the same on the dirt.  Before his run of victories on his preferred surface, he had a number of chances over this Meydan track without distinguishing himself.

His connections are trying the main track again this year, but following his disappointing run in the recent Saudi Cup, in which he checked in 11th, it’s hard to get excited about his chances in the Dubai World Cup.

Chuwa Wizard

This 7-year-old son of King Kamehameha was a surprise when he came from Japan to finish second in the Dubai World Cup last year. Afterwards, he was unable to win in three more starts in his homeland last year, but he may be returning again to top form.

He was second in the Group 1 Champions Cup to close out the year in 2021, although he was no match for the winner, T O Keynes. Most recently, he demonstrated his readiness for a return to Dubai with a listed stakes win in Japan seven weeks ago.

While another big showing in this race would again be a surprise, he should be respected off his run last year.

Remorse

This Irish-bred son of Dubawi has finished second in all three starts this season, including last out when beaten a length by Hypothetical in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3. He had his chance to catch the winner that day, but could not gain in the final furlong.

While his form is very good, it’s worth noting that he has finished second nine times in 13 lifetime races. Now he faces easily his toughest test yet. He is a horse who I could see running a good race, but winning outright against this competition seems a stretch.

Aero Trem

This son of Shanghai Bobby was very good in his native continent of South America and will now get another shot in the riches of the Middle East after a fifth-place finish in the Saudi Cup. All in all, the race he ran in the Saudi Cup was not bad, as he was way back and on the inside early and had to swing way wide for the stretch run.

Although he never threatened the leaders, he did finish with good energy and improvement in his second race away from home could see him come running late. He does have good experience at the distance. He will be one I use underneath at huge odds.

Grocer Jack

This German-bred turf horse tries dirt after running fifth last time in a Group 3 race in Saudi Arabia. This seems like a very tough spot for his dirt debut after winning only twice in 14 starts on the grass.

Although he was able to finish second in a Group 1 race on soft turf in Germany last year, I find him hard to recommend on Saturday against some of the best dirt horses in the world.

How to Watch the Dubai World Cup