PLEASANTLY PERFECT
©Trevor Jones
2004 - PLEASANTLY PERFECT
Just over five months after Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia d'Oro had produced a tremendous finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita, California, where the former got the better of Medaglia d'Oro by one and a half lengths, the American-trained pair served up an even better finish to the 2004 Dubai World Cup, the world's richest race.
The earlier result was confirmed at Nad Al Sheba, Dubai on Saturday, March 27, but the Alex Solis-ridden Pleasantly Perfect had to be at his best to win by three quarters of a length.
Medaglia d'Oro ran a fine race in second, being sent to the front early in the straight by Jerry Bailey and fighting a prolonged battle with his rival over the last 400 yards - and coming back again at the finish.
Pleasantly Perfect was the first American-trained Dubai World Cup winner since Captain Steve prevailed in 2001, with the last two runnings both having gone to Godolphin, courtesy of Street Cry and Moon Ballad.
This was an emotionally-charged victory for trainer Richard Mandella, enjoying his first Dubai World Cup success at the seventh try. He dedicated the victory to his mentor, the former New York trainer Victor`Lefty' Nickerson, who died the previous day.
Mandella commented: "I can't describe how great this feels - though I've had plenty of practice. I'd rather it had been easier! Medaglia d'Oro scared me in the last 50 yards when he came again. Pleasantly Perfect will go home now - we'll rest him up and then train him for the Breeders' Cup."
Simon Crisford, racing manager to Godolphin, whose Grand Hombre ran a fine race to finish in fourth, compared the prolonged battle between the front two to a famous boxing match. "That was sensational - a real Ali/Frazier-type contest," he said.
The quality of the 2004 Dubai World Cup could not be doubted as Victory Moon, who won last year's UAE 2,000 Guineas and UAE Derby, was a further five lengths adrift in third.
Writing in the Observer, Paul Haigh eloquently described the action: "A magnificent battle at Nad Al Sheba last night for the world's richest horserace, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, ended in triumph for the American champion Pleasantly Perfect, who confirmed the superiority he first established over his compatriot, Medaglia d'Oro, in the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic.
"The two dirt heavyweights were locked together for at least a furlong after Medaglia d'Oro had kicked early in the straight and then Pleasantly Perfect, who had been under hard driving from Alex Solis even before the home turn, had come to join him.
"At that point it seemed long odds on that the Richard Mandella-trained champion's stamina would enable him to draw away from his old rival, just as he had at Santa Anita in November, but Medaglia d'Oro refused to concede, and fought back so gamely that it was only in the last few yards that his resistance finally caved in.
"The result, a three quarter-length victory, was yet another triumph for Mandella, who trained four winners on Breeders' Cup Day, and has now gained yet another verdict over his great rival Bobby Frankel.
"I got this horse as a baby, said Mandella. 'He demanded time. I gave it to him, and it paid off."