Tag: jockey club of saudi arabia

White Abarrio, National Treasure Lead U.S. Challenge Into Saudi Cup

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) has published the likely fields for the Saudi Cup meeting to be held Saturday, Feb. 24, at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

The United States is set to be represented by a five-strong entry in the $20-million richest race in the world, a team headed by White Abarrio (Race Day), who will be making his first start since besting Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 4. The 5-year-old, trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr., has remained in California since and has logged seven workouts dating back to Dec. 24, including a five-furlong drill that was timed in :59.60 (3/120) Feb. 3.

Also making the trip over from the states are National Treasure (Quality Road) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), first and second, respectively, in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 26; GII Cigar Mile H. hero and Pegasus fourth Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft); and Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), last year's GI Pennsylvania Derby hero and recent winner of the GIII Louisiana S.

Derma Sotogake is one of five Japanese-based horses gearing up for the nine-furlong test and will be joined on the trip over by Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), the 2023 G1 Dubai World Cup winner and a good fifth in the Classic; champion Japanese dirt horse and dual Group 1 winner Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid); G2 UAE Derby and G3 Korea Cup victor Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}); and multiple Group 3 winner Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro).

Most intriguing among the probables is the globetrotting Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) for trainer Aidan O'Brien. A Group 1 winner at ages two, three and four in Europe, the 5-year-old will make his first start on the dirt, having just missed behind Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 10.

The home team fields the remaining three runners, including the recently imported American Grade I winner Defunded (Dialed In); Power in Numbers (Girvin), undefeated in four starts in Saudi Arabia since selling for $400,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age Sale; and Carmel Road (Quality Road), who aired by 7 1/2 lengths in a valuable 1600-meter race Jan. 13.

Emergency runners include the Doug Watson-trained 2023 G2 Godolphin Mile winner Isolate (Mark Valeski) and Scotland Yard (Quality Road), a close second to Power in Numbers in the King's Cup last time.

The probable starters for the remaining Saudi Cup races may be accessed here.

 

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The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia Takes Steps to Disqualify Maximum Security

Nearly four years after Maximum Security (New Year's Day) crossed the wire first in the inaugural Saudi Cup and six months after his trainer Jason Servis was given a four-year prison sentence for doping horses under his care, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) announced Tuesday that it has concluded its own investigation into the matter and will recommend to a Stewards Committee that it should sanction Servis and disqualify Maximum Security.

The final decision will be made by the Stewards Committee, but in the press release it issued Tuesday the JCSA made a strong case that Maximum Security should be disqualified and Servis should be sanctioned. At stake is the $10 million that is paid out to the winner of the $20-million race. Should Maximum Security be disqualified, Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) would presumably be declared the winner.

Maximum Security did not test positive for a prohibited substance before or after the Saudi Cup, but Servis was caught on wiretapped phone calls bragging that he gave the banned substance SGF-1000 to nearly every horse in his barn. Racing officials from JCSA have maintained that it is within their power to strip Maximum Security of the win if it was proven that Servis had been illegally drugging Maximum Security in the months surrounding the race.

The statement from the JCSA read, in part: “Following the conclusion of that investigation and pursuant to the Racing Rules of the JCSA (Rules) [2] and the Horseman's Guide (Guide) [3], the JCSA has now authorised charges to be brought against Jason Servis, the former trainer of the horse Maximum Security.

“The Charges allege substantial breaches of the Rules and the Guide and relate to the administration of Prohibited Substances to Maximum Security and failures to comply with the entry requirements for the Race.

“The JCSA will contend that the Stewards Committee should sanction Jason Servis and disqualify Maximum Security.”

The statement said that the inquiry to be held by the Stewards Committee will take place “in due course.”

The inquiry will be held in private and members of the media will not be permitted to attend. The decision of the Stewards Committee will be published at the conclusion of the inquiry. Until the Stewards Committee has made its final decision, the JCSA will issue no further statements.

At deadline for this story, Jeff Bloom, who heads the syndicate that campaigned Midnight Bisou, was unavailable for comment.

Gary West, who owned Maximum Security with his wife Mary, also could not be reached for comment. However, in December, 2022, West issued a statement saying he would be supportive of a decision to disqualify Maximum Security and redistribute the purse money.

“We believe in the justice system and have patiently waited for the legal prosecution to take its course,” West said. “Now that Jason Servis has entered a guilty plea, we want to make it clear that if the Saudi Cup decides to redistribute the purse, we would support that decision. Hopefully, that action will prevent future conduct of this nature. We believe the decision to take the Saudi Cup purse from Maximum Security and redistribute it is the correct one.”

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Record Number of Races as Action Resumes in Ta’if

The new Saudi Arabian racing season begins on June 1 at King Khalid Racecourse in Ta'if, where the programme has been “significantly expanded”.

With an earlier resumption to racing in 2023, an extra 54 races have been scheduled through to the close of the season on October 7. From a record total of 486 races, 187 will be for local and imported horses (up from 147), 193 for locally-bred horses only (up from 188) and 108 for Purebred Arabian horses (up from 49). 

The Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Cup and the Listed King Faisal Cup take place on Saturday, September 2, with the Ta'if Derby 20 days later. Prize-money for each of the Thursday meetings has been increased by 25%.

“The growth of racing in Ta'if for the 2023 season further demonstrates our aim to develop the sport of horse racing in Saudi Arabia and underscores our commitment to securing a bright future for Purebred Arabian racing,” said Prince Abdullah Bin Khaled Al Saud, chairman of the JCSA's Technical Committee.

“The expanded fixture list as well as the significant increase in prize-money offers trainers more opportunity for all categories of horse. 

“Our 193 races tailored specifically to locally bred horses supports our all-important domestic breeding industry and Purebred Arabian horses now have more than double the opportunity when compared to last season.

“Coupled with our juvenile racing schedule we see Ta'if as a significant season in its own right, but it also serves as an excellent launch pad to the Riyadh racing season and gives visitors the chance to view the equine superstars of tomorrow.”

 

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Saudis Still Mulling Whether to DQ Maximum Security From 2020 Saudi Cup

Despite trainer Jason Servis having pled guilty in court last week to charges that he regularly doped horses under his care, officials from the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) issued a statement Monday in which they said they have yet to decide whether or not they will disqualify Maximum Security (New Year's Day) from his victory in the 2020 $20 million Saudi Cup. Just nine days after the race, Servis was indicted on a number of charges related to his use of performance-enhancing drugs,  which led to the JCSA announcing that it would not pay out the $10 million due to the winner until investigating the situation.

Monday's statement read: “The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia continues to monitor developments in the USA with the ultimate aim of concluding an investigation related to the running of the 2020 Saudi Cup. Over the coming weeks we will assess our ability to conclude the investigation, which began in March 2020, in a robust and comprehensive fashion.”

Maximum Security passed all drug tests given to him both before and after the Saudi Cup, but racing officials from JCSA maintained that it was within their power to strip him of the win if it was proven that Servis had been illegally drugging Maximum Security in the months surrounding the race.

“If the results come out where they have concrete evidence that Maximum Security received performance-enhancing drugs of any kind within the previous six months of the Saudi Cup then by our rules that would result in automatic disqualification of a horse.” Prince Bandar bin Khalid al Faisal, the chairman of the JCSA, told podcaster Nick Luck in 2020.. “We are consistent in implementing our own rules and regulations.”

Government prosecutors alleged that they intercepted phone calls made by Servis that he gave the illegal drug SGF-1000 to “almost everything” in his barn.  Considering the evidence that Servis was using PEDs with Maximum Security it is unclear why the JCSA did not strip the horse of his win immediately after Servis entered a guilty plea or what other factors it still wants to look into before wrapping up its investigation and deciding the outcome of the race.

Maximum Security was owned by the partnership of Gary and Mary West and Coolmore. When contacted by Horseracingnation.com, Gary West said he would abide by what decision ultimately came out of Saudi Arabia.

“We believe in the justice system and have patiently waited for the legal prosecution to take its course,” West told the website. “Now that Jason Servis has entered a guilty plea, we want to make it clear that if the Saudi Cup purse is redistributed we would support that decision. Hopefully, that action will prevent future conduct of this nature. We believe the decision to take the Saudi Cup purse from Maximum Security and redistribute it is the correct one.”

Should Maximum Security be disqualified the win would go to Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute). She earned $3.5 million for running second, which means that her owners would receive an additional $6.5 million thanks to the disqualification.

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