By Tarek Al-Issawi
The Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Harlan's Holiday was no match for Moon Ballad, Sheik Mohammed's latest winner of the world's richest horse race.

With a devastating finishing kick, Moon Ballad ran away from Harlan's Holiday and easily won the won the $6 million Dubai World Cup at Nad al Sheba racetrack on Saturday night.

The 4-year-old chestnut gave the ruling Maktoum family of Dubai its fifth World Cup win in eight runnings of the 11/4-mile race. Sheik Mohammed owned four of the winners, including Moon Ballad's sire, 1997 winner Singspiel.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Moon Ballad won his first Group 1 race with his fifth victory in 10 starts. The horse, who earned $3.6 million with his five-length win, was purchased by Sheik Mohammed's Godolphin Racing for $540,593 at the 2000 Tattersalls October yearlings sales.

"Moon Ballad is a very easy horse," Sheik Mohammed said. "He didn't move very fast at the beginning, and then he had to say 'Come on, lets go.' Frankie rode him very well."

The win was third on the night for Dettori. Earlier, the jockey took the $2 million Dubai Sheeman Classic with Sulamani and won the $1 million Godolphin Mile aboard Firebreak.

"He has been moving like a champion on dirt and when he wanted to go, he went," Dettori said. "It was a wonderful feeling coming into the straight, with the crowd cheering and I wanted to savor the win this time. It's a great relief. I've still got it."

Harlan's Holiday, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, was trying to give U.S.-based horses a fourth win in the World Cup, but came up short.

"He ran a great race and we are very pleased with him," Velazquez said. "He was beaten by a better horse on the night."

Moon Ballad, made an 11-4 choice by British bookmakers William Hill, won in a time of 2:00.48. Godolphin-owned horses finished right behind Harlan's Holiday - favored Nayef was third and Grandera fourth.

State Shinto was fifth, followed by Grundlefoot, Blue Burner, Sei Mi, Aquarelliste, Crimson Quest and Hans Anderson.

Harlan's Holiday, who came into the race with the most experience on dirt, was coming off a win in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

"He ran a great race and you have to be happy with second," Pletcher said. "The winner is a very good racehorse, and it is no disgrace to be beaten by him."

Moon Ballad's only other start on dirt was in his last start, when he won a race in the Maktoum Challenger series.

Nayef, favored with 11-8 odds, had a disappointing showing.

"He didn't have the speed to catch up on the straight," trainer Marcus Tregoning said.

Street Cry won last year's World Cup for Godolphin, and Dubai Millennium came through for Sheik Mohammed in 2000. The Maktoum family's other World Cup winner was Almutawakel in 1999.

The U.S.-based winners were Cigar in 1996, Silver Charm in 1998 and Captain Steve in 2001.

In the $2 million UAE Derby on the undercard of the seven-race program with $15.25 million in purses, Godolphin did not fare so well. Inamorato, the 4-5 favorite, was third behind Victory Moon and Songlark.

Simon Crisford, racing manager for Godolphin, had said Inamorato needed a strong performance to earn a shot at the Kentucky Derby on May 3.

Godolphin has sent at least one horse to the Derby in each of the last four years, and it looks like it will make it five years in a row. After the race, trainer Saeed bin Suroor said the stable still has the Derby in its plans.

In other races

• Sulamani won the Sheema Classic by three-quarters of a length over Ange Gabriel. Ekraar was third in the field of 16.

The 4-year-old Sulamani, who hadn't raced since October, was recently purchased by Godolphin.

• Firebreak, the 4-1 favorite, took the Godolphin Mile, beating U.S.-based Grey Memo by three-quarters of a length. Grey Memo, who won the race last year, was ridden by Kent Desormeaux.

• State City was a surprise winner in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen sprint, with Avanzado, trained by Doug O'Neill, second by three-quarters of a length. Captain Squire, trained by Jeff Mullins, was third.

Favored Xtra Heat was scratched from the race on Friday with an ankle injury.

• In the $2 million Dubai Duty Free on turf, Ipi Tombe beat Paolini by three lengths. Royal Trust was third. Ipi Tombe is owned by a partnership of Team Valor, Winstar Farms and Sunmark Partners.

The races went off without a problem despite concerns about the war in Iraq.