FOX Sports To Televise Saudi Cup

FS1 will carry Saturday's $20-million Saudi Cup, featuring a clash between GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. winner Knicks Go (Paynter) and 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Runhappy Malibu S. hero Charlatan (Speightstown), during a live one-hour broadcast from 12-1 p.m. ET. The undercard races, with the exception of the Neom Turf Cup, will be shown live on FS2 from 8:30 a.m. ET to noon ET. A live internet feed will be available here.

The 'Golden Hour' telecast will be hosted on site by Nick Luck and Michelle Yu and will be presented with limited commercial interruptions, made possible by Runhappy. Churchill Downs's Travis Stone will provide the race commentary and additional analysis will come from international presenter Tom Stanley, Hayley Moore and Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. Laffit Pincay III will report from Aqueduct in New York.

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Record Overnight Purses at Belmont Spring/Summer Meet

The upcoming 48-day spring/summer meeting at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, will offer the richest overnight purse structure in the history of the New York Racing Association, the organization said Thursday.

Open-company maiden allowance races will feature purse money of $90,000, while first-, second- and third-level allowance races will be worth $92,000, $94,000 and $96,000, respectively. New York maiden special weight races will carry prize money of $75,000, while horses bred in the Empire State will benefit from an $85,000 purse for non-winners of two/ $45,000 claiming and an $80,000 purse for the non-winners of one category. NYRA has also written races for $250,000 claiming, which offer purses of $100,000. Bottom-level, open $10,000 claimers will run for $28,000.

“NYRA is pleased to be able to offer the highest overnight purse levels in the history of Belmont Park,” said Martin Panza, NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations. “These increases come at an important time in support of horsemen and will drive the industry forward as we emerge from the challenges wrought by COVID-19.”

Referencing the state-bred program, Panza added: “There has never been a better time to race or breed right here in New York state. The New York-bred program continues to thrive, and the purses and incentives that will begin this spring will continue through the summer at Saratoga making an investment in New York-breds all the more enticing.”

Joe Appelbaum, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA), also welcomed the news.

“It's gratifying to see these significant purse increases to the overnight and NY-bred races,” said Appelbaum. “These races are the foundation of the NYRA racing program and the continued investment in them has proven to be successful.”

Unlike the 2020 spring/summer meeting, which was conducted behind closed doors due to COVID-19 protocols, the 2021 meet is likely to be open to a limited number of spectators following a Feb. 10 announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

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Empire Maker Filler Mnasek Dominates UAE Oaks

The second fillies' Classic of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the 1900m (1 3/16 miles) dirt Group 3 UAE Oaks, was turned into a procession by Mnasek who scored a 6 1/2-length victory under Pat Dobbs, the pair far too good for six toiling rivals.

It was a third UAE Oaks success in six years for Dobbs, actually riding this filly for the first time in a race, and Doug Watson who also combined to land the race in 2016 with Polar River and Rayya two years later.

“She just goes out there and and tries hard,” said Watson. “We've done very little with her since she ran. She's a small filly and she has a lot of talent. We worked her in company out of the gate and that helped. Today she didn't enjoy being behind and when she was tipped out you could see it. She was the best filly. I don't know if they'll want to run her in the Derby, but who knows. Fair dues to Shane (Ryan, starter) and the gate crew. The did a great job helping us out. Obviously, she's a little funny in the gate and she broke great tonight. (The owners) should send her to America. That's her second win here. She's got a lot of options over there. If she stays sound and training like she is, she could win over there.”

Owned by Al Rashid Stables, the daughter of Empire Maker won her debut, over 1400m (seven furlongs), in December despite completely blowing the start. She was then very slowly away over 1600m (one mile) in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, staying on late to snatch second.

However, she broke on level terms this time and, once switched off the rail about 1200m from home, soon loomed as a massive danger to Godolphin's Last Sunset who hit the front, briefly, leaving the home turn. As soon as Dobbs said 'go' the race was over with Last Sunset losing second place close home to Nayefah who stayed on dourly having been held up in last.

“She's very brave,” jockey Pat Dobbs said of Mnasek. “She didn't enjoy the early part of the race, getting the kickback, but once she got out, she travelled super. She stays very well. She's a little bit light-mouthed, but she's got a big heart and is a lovely mover.”

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Given ‘Time To Mature,’ Eres Tu Continues Comeback In Saturday’s Royal Delta Stakes

Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's Eres Tu is scheduled to seek her fourth straight comeback victory in Saturday's $100,000 Royal Delta (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, who is undefeated since returning from an 18-month layoff and joining trainer Arnaud Delacour's stable, will also pursue her second straight graded-stakes triumph in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares that will headline Saturday's 12-race program.

“She's a very big filly. She's probably 17 hands or more. My guess is that all the time off she had helped her really mature and come to her full potential,” Delacour said. “She's been great since Day 1 with us. She hasn't missed a breeze. She's done everything so well, so that's exciting.”

Formerly trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Eres Tu broke her maiden in her second career start in November 2018 at Fair Grounds, where she went on to finish second in the Silverbulletday, third behind Serengeti Express in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and fourth in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) before going to the sidelines.

The homebred mare returned to action with a 2 ¼-length optional claiming allowance victory last October at Keeneland. She followed with a 1 ½-length score in the Nov. 26 Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes and a length triumph in the Dec. 26 Allaire DuPont (G3), both at Laurel Park.

“When you look at the type of horses she ran against as a 3-year-old – there's a bunch of Grade 1 winners in there – she showed that she was a quality filly,” Delacour said. “The time off gave here the time to mature – that's the key with her.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to ride Eres Tu for the first time Saturday.

Allen Stable Inc.'s Mrs. Danvers will seek her third-straight victory and second stakes in a row in the Royal Delta. The Shug McGaughey-trained 4-year-old daughter of Tapit is coming off a dazzling 6 ½-length victory in the Comely (G3) at Belmont Nov. 27.

Jose Ortiz has the return call aboard Mrs. Danvers.

Miracle's International Trading Inc.'s Dream Marie is set to participate in her third straight graded stakes of the Championship Meet. The Matthew Williams-trained daughter of Graydar finished second behind next-out winner Letruska in the Rampart (G3) and fifth in the Inside Information (G2).

Leonel Reyes will be back aboard Dream Marie Saturday.

e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Gibberish is scheduled to seek her fourth straight victory Saturday. The Saffie Joseph-trained daughter of Lea won back-to-back optional claiming allowances at Gulfstream Park before scoring a front-running triumph in the Treasure Chest Stakes at Delta Downs Nov. 27. Joseph is also slated to saddle Ken Copenhaver's Queen Nekia, who finished a close third in last year's running of the Royal Delta.

Tyler Gaffalione has the mount on Gibberish, while Corey Lanerie has been named to ride Queen Nekia.

G Watts Humphry Jr.'s High Regard, Robert Stack and Daniel Walters' Bajan Girl, and Al Rashid Stables LLC's Hallawallah round out the field.

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