Aurora, CO – The Arabian Jockey Club (AJC) is pleased to announce that the richest Arabian horse race in the United States will be part of one of America’s biggest days of racing in 2020. The $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) will be run on October 3, 2020 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, sharing the world stage with the historically second leg of the coveted Triple Crown: The $1 million Preakness Stakes. In fact, the UAE President Cup will directly follow the Preakness on the day’s big racing card.
CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL NOMINEE LIST
and…
CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL INVITATION LIST
and…
CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL ENTRIES
The race has been won by the sport’s very best, from Horse of the Year winners to fan favorites. In fact, this isn’t the first time this lucrative race has been run at Pimlico. The UAE President Cup was last held at Pimlico on Preakness Day in 2012, and was won by TM Fred Texas, who was named 2011 Darley Horse of the Year and later went on to win the 2012 Dubai Kahayla Classic.
Presented by the UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs, the UAE President Cup was started in 1994, and is now the oldest global series of Arabian horse races. With races held around the world, the series brings together many cultures and continues to shine a bigger and brighter spotlight on the majestic Arabian breed.
Susan Meyer, President of the Arabian Jockey Club, stated, “The UAE President Cup race consistently attracts the finest Arabians the USA has to offer. We are thrilled to be returning to historic Pimlico Racetrack once again, and it is rolling out the red carpet for the Arabians on its biggest racing day of the year. The exposure this opportunity will give Arabian racing is significant.”
“The UAE President Cup Committee is delighted to have America’s most important Arabian race sharing the spotlight with the legendary Gr.1 Preakness Stakes, said general secretary of the UAE President Cup Series, Mr. Faisal Al Rahmani. “Returning to Pimlico Race Track is a great opportunity to showcase Arabian racing on this most important stage. The Preakness Stakes Gr.1 and the UAE President Cup Gr.1 attract the best horses from both breeds. We are delighted the Maryland Jockey Club has welcomed back the UAE President Cup in 2020, we look forward to a long and successful partnership. A special thank you to the Arabian Jockey Club for its tireless work and valuable support.”
The UAE President Cup will continue its tradition as an invitational race. Invitations to run, made by the sponsor, will be determined from the nominees. Also of note, the total entrance fees will be significantly lower than many race events with smaller purses, making nomination decisions easier for owners.
Historically, The Preakness Stakes has been the second of the three Triple Crown winners. This year, however, the Triple Crown has been upended like most everything else in our world. Normally the concluding act of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes initiated the series this year on June 20, when the Kentucky Derby postponed its race in a historic break from tradition to be run on September 5. And the Preakness Stakes will act as the grand finale on its postpone date of October 3. The UAE President Cup will directly follow it on the racing card that day.
Owners have already begun strategic preparations for the UAE President Cup, including key Grade 1 races such as the $40,000 Buzz Brauninger Arabian Distaff Handicap (G1) on September 5th and the $40,000 Delaware Park Arabian Classic (G1) on September 7th. Both the Buzz Brauninger Distaff and the Delaware Park Classic will run at Delaware Park, just a one-hour drive from Pimlico in Baltimore.
The Arabian Jockey Club, working in conjunction with Pimlico Racecourse will carry all pertinent information for this race on its website www.arabianracing.org, AJC Facebook page, AJC Eblasts, and other social media outlets.
