Mr. Sandman, bring me a winner

Tweet It's breakfast at Wimbledon for racing fans....I'd call it the Duel in the Desert, but there's really no big duel being touted on the Sheikh's biggest race day of the year. Not that we have one in the works here in the States (now that the Apple Bottom Jeans Handicap has been hijacked by Jess Jackson). So we turn our heads to the Middle East on Saturday morning for Dubai World Cup Day. Typically it's a great day of racing climaxed by the $10M Dubai World Cup, the richest race of the year. It's kinda like the NASCAR guys running the Daytona 500 (their biggest race) in February, but it is what it is..so why not take a look.

Here's the lineup (and link to FREE PP's for each race!) and a bit of commentary for your reading pleasure (or angst)....

Race 2 (9:20am EST) Al Quoz Sprint 6 furlong turf sprint for $1 million dollars (queue Dr. Evil voice). Named after the Dubai prince who founded Quiznos. The star horse here, our own Breeders' Cup champ California Flag with Smokin' Joe Talamo aboard. Joe's been enjoying the beach (do they have sand there?) and water park during his stay. Dude, stay focused. Will the Breeders' Cup 2010 jinx continue? Tune in and see.

Race 3 (9:55am EST) Godolphin Mile 1 mile on the Tapeta for a cool million. The morning line favorite is Desert Party who won a G3 stake here at the Meydan Racecourse after a ten month layoff since his last where he finished 14th in the Kentucky Derby. Flyin Frankie Dettori gets the nod for the Sheikh.

Race 4 (10:35am EST) UAE Derby 1 3/16th mile on the Tapeta for $2 million doubloons. The heavy favorite is Mendip (5-2), who is 3 for 3 and is a Kentucky Derby hopeful. This race should produce at least two horses that could be in the gates on the first Saturday in May.

Race 5 (11:15am EST) Golden Shaheen 6 furlong sprint on the Tapeta for $2 bills. Reminds me of my favorite Buffalo restaurant of the 80's called the Shabeen. So, I'll be calling it the Golden Shabeen and toasting the old Irish haunt I frequented back in the day. But I digress. Maybe the one race that pits a potential duel between the Sheikh's Gayego, who has had success on the fake stuff and US hopeful Kinsale King. Interesting duel between Gomez on KK and Dettori on Gayego, also.

Race 6 (11:55am EST) Dubai Duty Free 1 1/8 mile on the Turf for $5 million smackers. Looks like a wide open race. Spaceman fav Justenuffhumor, 30-1 on the morning line, joins BC Mile runner up Courageous Cat (6-1) and Pletcher's Take the Points (10-1) in the battle to beat ML favorite Imbongi (9-2) who has a win and a place in back to back Grade 2's at Meydan. I remember like it was yesterday with the Cat reared up in the paddock before the Mile at Santa Anita and went out and ran a great race behind the powerful Goldikova.

Race 7 (12:35pm EST) Dubai Sheema Classic 1 1/2 mile on the Turf for $5 million beans. Features perennial runner up Youmzain (9-2) and North America's favorite front runner Presious Passion (9-2 and Elvis will be in the building). Eastern Anthem interests me at 8-1 in here. Big bucks race for some big turfers.

Race 8 (1:45pm EST) The Big Enchilada 1 1/4 mile on the Tapeta for TEN FREAKIN' MILLION BONES. Gio Ponti! Twice Over! Mastery! Richard's Kid! Gitano Hernando! Live on TVG! (Sorry, got a little excited there) This should be a super race, again pretty wide open. So who's the long shot who interests me in here? Johnny V on Crowded House...third off the layoff, experience over the course, and should be a nice price. The world's best jockeys have shown up to try and collect a nice chunk of change in this one. Nice to see Ramon make the trip to ride Gio Ponti.

Should be a great start to a great Saturday of racing....