Horse California Chrome wins world's richest horse race Dubai World Cup

Five year old United States thoroughbred California Chrome won here Saturday the final race of the richest horse challenge in the world with a new track record time of 2 minutes 01.83 seconds, cashing in six million U.S. dollars prize money.

Sponsored by United Arab Emirates' (UAE) international carrier Emirates Airline, the ninth and final, 2,000 meter long race on dirt of today's Dubai World Cup distributed a total of 10 million U.S. dollars.

Second finisher Mubtaahij owned by Dubai's royal family member Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum cashed in two million dollars while Hoppertunity (U.S.) who was third brought home one million dollars. A total of 12 horses took part in the final race of the Dubai World Cup 2016.

Keen Ice from the Unites States led the race the first 1,000 meters, but eventually fell back in the last quarter of the track in the enlightened Meydan Racecourse after 9pm local Dubai evening time.

Frosted, the top favorite owned by Dubai's ruling family Al-Maktoum, Jockey Victor Espinoza, dressed in a silver jersey and a blue helmet, said his first global victory "might not be easy to understand", but it was the result of constant hard training with the whole team.

"We did it," shouted American trainer Art Sherman in full joy into the television cameras. In the final press conference, Espinoza revealed that "during the whole race I had a problem with my saddle, so I felt lucky that California Chrome was running perfectly today, he was really 100 percent fit and focused."

A total of 60,000 spectators packed the rafters of the sold-out Meydan hippodrome in the heart of the sheikhdom, among the UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum who handed over the cup to winning jockey Espinoza and trainer Sherman at the award ceremony. Endi