No matter what happens, it seems as if it's impossible to keep Bob Baffert out of the spotlight. The Hall of Fame trainer won the second richest race in the world Saturday when Country Grammer drove wide down the stretch to win the $12 million Dubai World Cup at the Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. It was Baffert's fourth win in the race.
Most had conceded the 1 1/4-mile race to Life Is Good, who was dominant in winning both the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the Pegasus World Cup in his last two starts. But the distance may have been too much for the colt as he gave up the lead in the stretch and finished fourth. Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Flavien Prat, was second by 1 3/4 lengths. Japanese horse Chuwa Wizard was third. Midnight Bourbon was fifth in the 10-horse race with all four U.S. horses finishing in the top five.
The 5-year-old Country Grammer is owned by Amr Zedan and WinStar Farm. Zedan was also the owner of disqualified Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, after the colt tested positive for a medication not legal on race day. Medina Spirit died of what was thought to be a heart attack in December while preparing to resume his racing career.
