Ushba Tesoro rallied from last to first to upset the Group 1, $12 million Dubai World Cup Saturday at Meydan. A 13-1 price in the pari-mutuel pools, the Noboru Takagi trainee brought Japanese-trained horses their third win of the day, after Equinox’s victory in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic and Derma Sotogake’s triumph in the Group 2 UAE Derby.

Last-out Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa rushed early to dispute the early pace with Remorse to his inside. Meanwhle, Ushba Tesoro bided his time: he sat well behind the rest of the field into the first turn, and continued at the rear of the field down the back straight.

Around the far turn, the torrid pace set by Panthalassa and Remorse began to take its toll. Long shot Bendoog, just off them, took a narrow lead. But, it wasn’t to last.

Algiers, who also sat toward the rear early, moved earlier and descended outside of Bendoog in upper stretch. He kicked clear midstretch, but in the final furlong jockey Yuga Kawada had Ushba Tesoro moving best of all. Ushba Tesoro flew right by outside of Algiers with about a sixteenth of a mile to go, winning by 2 3/4 lengths in convincing fashion. Ushba Tesoro stopped the clock in 2:03.25, and paid $28.30 to win.

Algiers held second by a short head over 2022 Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road, who closed for show. Algiers paid $3.40 to place, while Emblem Road paid $16.80 to place. In pari-mutuel betting pools on the Dubai World Cup, a place bet cashes if the horse finishes second or third.

Country Grammer, the defending champion and the 2-1 favorite for Bob Baffert, chased midfield on the outside early but never mustered a threatening run and finished seventh. Super Corinto, the other American entrant, finished 14th.

The winner Ushba Tesoro, a 6-year-old son of Orfevre, rode a four-win streak into the Dubai World Cup. He most recently won the Kawasaki Kinen on Feb. 1, winning by 1/2 length over T O Keynes, who crossed the wire fourth in Saturday’s race. Ushba Tesoro became the second Japanese-trained winner of the Dubai World Cup, after Victoire Pisa’s victory over the all-weather track in 2011.