Month: February 2023

Maitha Salem Mohammed Belobaida Alsuwaidi's Meraas, trained by New York-based Chad Summers, will exit post 6 under Abner Adorno in Saturday's Group 3 $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, a 1,200-metre test [about six furlongs] on the undercard of the $20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

Meraas, a Group 3-winner at Meydan last February for his former conditioner Musabbeh Al Mheiri, made three NYRA circuit starts for Summers in 2022 led by a frontrunning optional-claiming score with Adorno up on Dec. 30 that garnered a 97 Beyer.

That effort followed a third-place finish in September at Saratoga in his North American debut, a six-furlong optional-claimer won by returning rival Elite Power; and a troubled off-the-board effort in the G3 Bold Ruler in October at Belmont at the Big A.

Elite Power, who drew post 5 Saturday under Frankie Dettori, exited his Saratoga effort to win the G2 Vosburgh at Belmont at the Big A and the G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland en route to Champion Male Sprinter honors.

Chief among Meraas' rivals will be the Japan-based defending race winner Dancing Prince [post 7, Damian Lane] and multiple graded-stakes winner Gunite [post 2, Tyler Gaffalione], who won the 2021 Grade 1 Hopeful at the Spa.

“He shipped over well,” said Summers via phone from Saudi Arabia. “He has plenty of experience traveling before and has really blossomed since arriving. He had his final piece of work on Monday over the main track and was striding out beautifully. He's giving us a lot of confidence he will take to this deep track here in Saudi.”

Summers said Meraas should benefit from his post 6 draw with both his main North American rivals to his inside and Dancing Prince in the next stall over.

“We love the draw. The gates here are really narrow. So, the less time in there the better,” Summers said. “Dancing Prince we feel is the other main speed and he is drawn just to the outside. So, we can play the break and if we outbreak him, we go. If he outbreaks us, we will sit on his hip. I would imagine Gunite will try and work out a stalking trip from his inside draw, but may have to deal with significant kickback down in there. We will watch the races Friday and first part of Saturday and make final plans, but overall we're very happy with the draw.”

Summers has enjoyed past success in the Middle East, taking consecutive editions of the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2017-18 at Meydan Racecourse with New York-bred Mind Your Biscuits, who is now a successful stud in Japan.

Summers said Saturday's test is reminiscent of the 2018 Golden Shaheen in which Joel Rosario guided Mind Your Biscuits to a rallying head score over X Y Jet in a track record time of 1:10.12. Roy H, winner of the 2017 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, finished less than a length back in third with multiple Grade 1-winner Wild Dude fourth and the well-regarded Japan-based Matera Sky finishing fifth.

“It feels very similar to the 2018 Golden Shaheen with a Breeders' Cup winner, a fast American horse coming off a huge speed figure, and top Japanese horses,” Summers said. “So, not necessarily a position we haven't been in before.”

The Riyadh Dirt Sprint is slated as Race 7 at approximately 11:45 a.m. Eastern on Saturday's eight-race card that concludes with the $20 million Saudi Cup. Coverage of the Saudi Cup card will be broadcast live from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Eastern on FS2.

The post Trainer Chad Summers In Familiar Position With Riyadh Dirt Sprint Contender Meraas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Bob Baffert has a long list of big races he has conquered in America and the Middle East but the most valuable one, The Saudi Cup, has eluded him, including a pair of runner-up finishes and in the most frustrating of fashions.

This year, he brings Zedan Racing's three-time Grade 1 winner Taiba (USA), as well as 2022 runner-up and Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (USA), who is co-owned by Zedan Racing, Commonwealth Thoroughbreds and WinStar Farm.

Taiba enters off a one-sided victory in the Malibu Stakes on December 26, the same Grade 1 Baffert's 2021 runner-up Charlatan won in preparation for his Saudi Arabian sojourn. Last year, he won the Santa Anita Derby and Pennsylvania Derby – both Grade 1s – over The Saudi Cup's 1800m distance.

“He just has so much quality,” Baffert said. “He will do what you want with him – he can go forward or come from off the pace – I don't worry about him. He'll fool you, because he's such a lazy work horse in the mornings and is so laidback, but when he gets in that gate and the lights turn on – that's when his light turns on.

“Charlatan was a brilliant horse with just brilliant speed, but he got into a speed duel with Knicks Go, which cost him the race, but this horse has speed and stamina. The Gun Runners want to run longer, mostly, and this horse – while not as brilliant speed-wise as Charlatan – has that same class and he can go longer.

“He is tough to ride and that's why Mike Smith had to really get him out and get him going last time in the Malibu. Once you put him into the race, he has the stamina, and that's why, when he missed the break [when third] in the Breeders' Cup [Classic], it hurt him. He wasn't going to beat Flightline, but it cost him second.”

Earlier on the Boxing Day card at Santa Anita, Country Grammer returned to the winners' enclosure impressively in the Grade 2 San Antonio. Thus far, he is two-for-two with jockey Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

“I think both horses are doing really well and Jimmy [Barnes, assistant] is really happy with how they look there. Country Grammer is a horse who always runs his race. Frankie knows him really well and if the horse shows up, he'll get the job done if Taiba doesn't. This horse has never been better – he's a better horse this year, I think – and he likes this track, which is really key.

“The Saudi Cup is one of the toughest races to win,” Baffert continued. “I've never won it and I really want to. It's a long ship and a different surface and you have to keep them at their best the entire time.

“It's a challenge and that's what I love,” he concluded. “I'd love to win it for these owners. Amr [Zedan] and the Troutts [owners of WinStar Farm] and the rest of the connections have been so loyal to me and we have won some great races together – a Triple Crown with Justify – but to win this one would be an honor and I'm just blessed to have two good horses in the race.

“Everyone can really run in this race and it's a tough field, but expectations are high and we have some owners with a love and passion for the horse, itself, and for horse racing, so we hope we can win it for them.”

The post Country Grammer Will ‘Get The Job Done If Taiba Doesn’t’: Baffert Confident Ahead Of Saudi Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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