Dubai World Cup Winner Laurel River Retired To Japan’s Big Red Farm

[Wandering Eyes]

Juddmonte Farms' Laurel River (Into Mischief–Calm Water, by Empire Maker), a spectacular and record-setting winner of the 2024 G1 Dubai World Cup, has been retired from racing and will begin covering mares at Big Red Farm on the island of Hokkaido in Japan from this season, according to a news item on the nursery's website. A stud fee will be announced in two weeks' time.

Trained across his first seven starts by Bob Baffert, the homebred won his maiden in his 3-year-old debut, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in a strong 1:15.66, and was runner-up to The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) in the GIII Laz Barrera Stakes in his next appearance. A towering 11 1/2-length allowance winner when trying a route of ground for the first time in September 2021, the attractive bay returned to take his two starts at four, a daylight victory over a mile followed by an impressive victory in the seven-furlong GII Pat O'Brien Stakes (108 Beyer), earning a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

After being withdrawn from the latter contest on the eve of the race, Laurel River joined the Dubai-based Bhupat Seemar to continue his career in the summer of 2023 and following a ring-rusty return in Group 3 company over 1200 meters in early 2024, ran out a highly impressive winner of the G3 Burj Nahaar, a course-and-distance prep for the G2 Godolphin Mile.

To the surprise of many, Laurel River was instead entered in the World Cup, a first try beyond eight furlongs with plenty of questions to answer. Drawn widest in a field of 12, Laurel River came across to head off his rivals passing the post with a circuit to travel, and when Tadhg O'Shea asked for an effort 800 meters from home, Laurel River quickly put a margin on his rivals and strolled home to crush by 8 1/2 lengths (see below), breaking the record previously held by Dubai Millennium (GB) (Seeking the Gold). The vanquished included defending champion Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), fresh off his victory in the G1 Saudi Cup.

 

 

“I'm still coming to terms with what's happened,” Seemar said in the immediate aftermath of the World Cup.

Caught on the wire in the 2025 G3 Firebreak Stakes (1600m) when attempting to gear up for a possible Saudi Cup/Dubai World Cup double, Laurel River did not race again that season and time was called on his career this week. He retires with a record of 6-2-0 from 11 starts and earnings of $7,508,798.

Laurel River is one of 27 elite-level winners for Into Mischief and is bred on the exact same cross as Juddmonte's GI Kentucky Derby winner and 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Mandaloun. His full-brother Castlewarden is also under the care of Seemar at Meydan and was third in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile last November.

Laurel River's first three dams are all daughters of GI Belmont Stakes winners. Granddam Soothing Touch (Touch Gold) was responsible for six winners, including Calm Water's four-time Grade I-winning full-sister Emollient; Hofburg (Tapit), a stakes winner and placed in the GI Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes; and SW & GSP Courtier (Pioneerof the Nile), now a stallion in Brazil. Another of Soothing Touch's offspring, Cardamon (Pioneerof the Nile), produced 2025 GIII Mahony Stakes winner Spiced Up (Quality Road).

Third dam Glia (A.P. Indy), a stakes winner in France and America, descends from the family of G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner and Japanese stallion Bago (Fr) (Nashwan) and the influential Northern Dancer and Machiavellian.

Big Red Farm was also the stallion home of 2005 World Cup winner Roses In May.

 

Farewell to LAUREL RIVER – an immensely talented horse, but not the easiest to train.

Kudos to @BhupatSeemar and his team for looking after him so well and getting that MASSIVE #DubaiWorldCup win pic.twitter.com/hNnTOVbLcV

— Laura King لورا كنج (@LauraKingDXB) March 12, 2026

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