Dubai is the setting for a rich rematch

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin won the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Invasor and the Belmont Stakes with Jazil last year, but even those successes would pale in comparison to a victory in the $6-million Dubai World Cup on Saturday in the United Arab Emirates.

The Group I at Nad al Sheba is the most anticipated race of early 2007, matching the unbeaten Discreet Cat with Invasor, who has lost only once in 11 starts and is the reigning horse of the year in the U.S.

Invasor, who began his campaign with a victory under jockey Fernando Jara in the Donn Handicap last month at Gulfstream Park, will be trying to avenge his lone defeat when he races Discreet Cat for a second time in the about 1 1/4 -mile World Cup. A year ago, Invasor finished fourth, seven lengths behind Discreet Cat in the United Arab Emirates Derby.

Since then, the Argentine-bred son of Candy Stripes has been perfect. Besides the Donn and the Breeders’ Cup, he also scored Grade I victories in the Pimlico Special, the Suburban at Belmont Park and the Whitney at Saratoga.

“He’s doing great,” McLaughlin said. “Winning this race would be the biggest victory of my career.

“I’ve said ... that we have to soak this up every day as much as we can because this horse is once in a lifetime.”

There will also be some family pride at stake. Invasor is owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum. His brother, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid al Maktoum, owns Discreet Cat.

Untested in his six wins, Discreet Cat, who will break from the inside post in the field of seven -- Invasor will leave from the outside -- hasn’t been seen since winning the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct more than four months ago. The World Cup will also be the first race beyond 1 1/8 miles for the Forestry colt and he missed a prep March 1 because he was running a temperature.

Still, his connections, who won the 2006 World Cup with Elocutionist, are confident.

“Missing that race was only a minor setback,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. “He’s an outstanding horse, but he will have to be a true champion to win this race.”

Before the World Cup, which also attracted multiple stakes winner Premium Tap, Lava Man will try again to win outside California when he races 15 other turf specialists in the $5-million Dubai Duty Free at about 1 1/8 miles.

A winner of the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf on Jan. 27 at Santa Anita in his most recent grass appearance, Lava Man, who has run some of his worst races outside California, will be ridden by Corey Nakatani.

“I think a mile and an eighth on the grass is probably his perfect race and he shipped over really well,” said Dennis O’Neill, an assistant and advisor to his brother, trainer Doug O’Neill. “ ... We’re expecting a very, very good performance.”

The Duty Free will just be part of a busy Saturday for the O’Neills. In Dubai, the barn will also be represented by Spring At Last in the $1-million Godolphin Mile and by Harvard Avenue in the $2-million Golden Shaheen.

Later, at Gulfstream Park, where the O’Neill brothers will be, Notional will race Scat Daddy, Stormello and seven other 3-year-olds in the $1-million Florida Derby.

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Santa Anita will take advance wagering today on all six of the races from Dubai, and wagering will be available beginning at 6:20 a.m. Saturday for those races. Post time for the World Cup is 10:30 a.m. PDT and all of the races will be shown on HorseRacing Television.

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The 2008 Breeders’ Cup could be the first to be run over a synthetic track.

The Oak Tree Racing Assn., which runs its meet every fall at Santa Anita, has made a bid for the Breeders’ Cup next year and the Arcadia track will have a synthetic surface installed later this year.

If Santa Anita does land the Breeders’ Cup, it will be the fourth time the facility has played host to the races. The last was in 2003. Hollywood Park has had the Breeders’ Cup three times, including the inaugural running in 1984.

A decision on where the Breeders’ Cup will be held next year is expected sometime in April.