Key Contenders to Watch: Forever Young and Calandagan Lead 2026 Dubai World Cup

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 28, 2026 1:20 PM ET

Key Contenders to Watch: Forever Young and Calandagan Lead 2026 Dubai World Cup

The Dubai card at Meydan on Saturday, March 28, offers nine races and $30.5 million in purses. Filmogaz.com previews the meeting with Forever Young and Calandagan among the leading names to watch.

Event overview

The meeting culminates with the $12 million Dubai World Cup. The program includes top-level turf and dirt events. Key races feature purses ranging from $1 million to $12 million.

Notable horses and form lines

Forever Young arrives off two signature victories. He won the 2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 14.

The Japanese-bred star has 11 wins from 14 starts. His career earnings exceed $29.3 million. He was rated 128 on the 2025 Longines World’s Best Racehorse list.

Calandagan is another headline act. The Gleneagles gelding earned the top spot in the 2025 Longines rankings with a 130 rating.

He holds Group 1 wins in Japan, England, and France. He brings a four-race winning streak into the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.

Commissioner King, Banishing and Mendelssohn Bay

Commissioner King has two wins and two seconds in his last four starts. Trainer Bhupat Seemar sent him to a four-length victory in the Burj Nahar on Feb. 28.

Banishing, a U.S. multiple graded stakes winner, drops back in trip after finishing behind Forever Young in the Saudi Cup. Mendelssohn Bay returns to a mile after winning the Firebreak Stakes on Jan. 23 at Meydan.

Al Riffa targets the Dubai Gold Cup

Al Riffa is the standout for the 3,200-meter Dubai Gold Cup. Trained by Joseph O’Brien, he won the Irish St. Leger last September at the Curragh.

He finished 1½ lengths second in the Longines Hong Kong Vase on Dec. 14 at Sha Tin.

UAE Derby contenders and points

The UAE Derby awards 100-60-30-15-10 points to the top five finishers on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The race covers 1,900 meters.

Salloom burst onto the scene with a 6¾-length maiden win at Meydan on Jan. 30. He was scratched from a Feb. 25 conditions stakes after breaking through the starting gate.

Other key entrants include unbeaten Japanese performer Pyromancer, Two Thousand Guineas winner Six Speed, runner-up Devon Island, and Oaks scorer Labwah.

Sprint division highlights

The Al Quoz Sprint features Lazzat, last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner. Reef Runner beat Lazzat by a neck in the 1351 Turf Sprint on the Saudi Cup undercard.

Japan-based Lugal arrives in form, with a recent sequence of group sprint results that includes a win.

Golden Shaheen and Bentornato

Bentornato returns after a 2¼-length victory in the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar. The 5-year-old has won seven of 11 starts and has never finished worse than third.

U.S.-based Nakatomi was second in this race last year and third in 2024. Grade 1 winner Lovesick Blues is also entered.

Dubai Turf: Ombudsman’s task

Ombudsman tops the list for the Dubai Turf. He won both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Juddmonte International last year.

The horse closed his 4-year-old season with two Group 1 wins and two seconds in four big races.

Longines Dubai Sheema Classic contenders

Calandagan seeks a strong 5-year-old debut in the 2,410-meter Sheema Classic. Challengers include Giavellotto and Ethical Diamond.

Giavellotto won the 2024 Hong Kong Vase and finished runner-up in 2025. Ethical Diamond scored a surprise in the 2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Dubai World Cup finale

The $12 million Dubai World Cup showcases Forever Young over 2,000 meters. Expect a high-quality field.

Possible threats include last year’s winner Hit Show. U.S. graded stakes performer Magnitude and Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic winner Meydaan also figure.