Excitement Builds for UAE President’s Cup at Churchill Downs

This Thursday, the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses takes center stage at the legendary Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, coinciding with the illustrious Kentucky Derby, a hallmark of horse racing.

This international racing series spotlights Arabian horses while promoting their enduring heritage and enhancing their status at premier venues worldwide, in alignment with the UAE’s commitment to develop equestrian traditions globally.

Since its founding in 1875, Churchill Downs has served as a prestigious venue for elite racing. Open to equines aged four and older, this event is expected to welcome leading stables and distinguished jockeys, trainers, and owners.

Offering a historic purse of $400,000—the largest in American Arabian racing—this Grade I race runs over a distance of 2,000 meters, marking this as the eighth occasion the venue has hosted such a significant event.

The juxtaposition with the Kentucky Derby provides Arabian horses a unique chance to shine on the global stage, drawing sizable crowds and extensive media coverage.

Nine elite Arabian horses are poised to compete, including defending champion Diamond Gem AA, aiming for a third title to tie the all-time record, with Irad Ortiz Jr. as the jockey and Jeresto Torrez as the trainer.

Additional notable entrants are WMA Wild Kisses, AA Take A Chance, Highh Stakes, Highh Country, RB Badonkadonk, WMA Grand Finale, WMA Smoke Signal, and Quick Rae AA.

Ruggeri Stables also arrives with a formidable lineup featuring AA Take A Chance, Highh Country, and Quick Rae AA, promising an exciting competition.

Historically, previous champions of the American leg include notable winners like Paddys Day, who celebrated victories in 2016, 2020, and 2021, along with Quick And Rich and Diamond Gem AA among others.

Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, the organizing committee's chairperson, remarked that holding the race at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby represents a significant milestone, emphasizing the UAE President’s Cup's growing global presence and its vital role in elevating Arabian horse racing.