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Pegasus Series Races To Offer Guaranteed Spots In Saudi Cup Day Events

The winners of four Graded races in the USA and Japan will be guaranteed spots in three Saudi Cup Day races, following an announcement made Friday by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA).

The Grade 1 $3m Pegasus World Cup, set to be run on dirt at Florida's Gulfstream Park on Jan. 23, 2021, once again offers its winner a confirmed place in the $20m Saudi Cup starting gate.

In 2020 the Pegasus top spot was taken by Saudi owner HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khalid Al Saud's Mucho Gusto, trained by US Hall of Famer, Bob Baffert. A popular competitor among the home crowds at King Abdulaziz Racecourse during Saudi Cup week a month later, Mucho Gusto finished fourth in the big race under US-based jockey, Irad Ortiz, earning $1.5m for connections.

Taking the Saudi Cup's association with Gulfstream Park and the prestigious Pegasus Series one step further in 2021 is the addition of the Grade 1 $1m Pegasus World Cup Turf as a qualifying race for the $1m Middle Distance Turf Handicap on Saudi Cup Day.

In 2020 this became the first turf race to be staged in Saudi history and took place on the purpose-built grass track. The win went to Port Lions trained in Bahrain by Fawzi Nass and ridden by Dutchman, Adrie de Vries.

Tom Ryan, the JCSA's Director of Strategy and International Racing said: “The Pegasus races have consistently attracted the best horses in the USA since they were established in 2017 and this is exactly the caliber of runner we want to continue to welcome to Riyadh for Saudi Cup on both the dirt and turf tracks.

“Nurturing an ongoing alliance between the Saudi Cup and established races with global followings such as the Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus World Cup Turf is key to our continued growth and development on the international racing stage.”

Craig Fravel, CEO of Racing Operations, The Stronach Group, the company behind the Pegasus World Cup said: “The Stronach Group is delighted that the winners of the 2021 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series races will be invited to participate in Saudi Cup Day.

“In four short years, the Pegasus World Cup has become one of sport's most exciting experiences and one of Thoroughbred racing's most pivotal events, bringing together the world's best racehorses. Races like the Pegasus World Cup and Saudi Cup encourage international competition and promote our sport to fans across the globe.”

The JCSA has also worked with the Japan Racing Association (JRA) to establish the Grade 1 $1.96m Champions Cup held over 1800m on dirt at Chukyo Racecourse on December 6, as a second qualifying race for the Saudi Cup.

In addition, the 1200m Grade 3 Capella Stakes, on December 13 at Nakayama Racecourse, which carries a purse of $703,000, has been announced as a qualifying race for the $1.5m Riyadh Dirt Sprint over the same distance on Saudi Cup Day.

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Prominent Japanese trainer, Hideyuki Mori, who campaigned Full Flat to victory in the 2020 Saudi Derby on Saudi Cup Day welcomed the news: “It is exciting news to hear that Champions Cup and Capella Stakes are appointed as qualifying races for the Saudi Cup and the Riyadh Sprint,” he said. “It is the tendency that the rating of Japanese dirt horses are lower than turf horses and therefore we need these kind of races in Japan.

“I have just decided to withdraw Matera Sky from Breeders Cup to save him for the Riyadh Dirt Sprint and look forward to visiting Saudi again in February.”

Ryan said: “We are very excited to be able to announce these two high quality Japanese races as providing a guaranteed place to the Saudi Cup starting gate and the Riyadh Dirt Sprint respectively.

“The first two finishers in the 2019 Champions Cup, Chrysoberyl and Gold Dream came to Saudi Cup in 2020 proving an already established route for top class runners between the two races and the two jurisdictions.

“We are keen to encourage more international runners across all our races, not just the marquee Saudi Cup event, and so feel our association with this strong sprint in Japan is an important step for us as we build on the successes of year one.”

Adding to the international flavour across Saudi Cup weekend is the introduction of the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap, a race for horses from Part II and Part III racing countries as designated by the IFHA's Blue Book.

The Handicap will be held on Friday February 19, 2021, the day before Saudi Cup for horses rated 85-110.

“We are keen to provide as much interest and excitement across Saudi Cup weekend as possible for all our connections and also race fans,” said Ryan. “We had a good start in year one but we will continue looking at ways to evolve our race days and support worldwide horse racing. With the Saudi International Handicap we wanted to offer a global stage, to horses and connections that may not normally have this access, backed up by attractive prize money.”

The second renewal of Saudi Cup weekend will take place on Friday February 19 and Saturday February 20 2021 and the JCSA will announce any decisions regarding access to the event relating to Covid-19 restrictions at the earliest possible stage.

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‘More Of The Old Arklow’: Blinkers Made The Difference As Brad Cox Trainee Eyes Breeders’ Cup Turf

Donegal Racing founder Jerry Crawford considered Zulu Alpha the top distance turf horse in at least America heading into last Saturday's $1 million Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs. After Donegal's Arklow upset his old rival to win the Grade 3, 1 1/2-mile stakes for the second time in the three years, Crawford slightly amended his assessment.

Wearing blinkers for the first time in 29 career races, the 6-year-old Arklow laid up close to the pace under Florent Geroux and took command through the long stretch for a 1 1/4-length victory over Red Knight. Zulu Alpha was another length back in third after coming from near-last.

“We have nothing but respect for Zulu Alpha,” Crawford said of the 2019 Kentucky Turf Cup winner to whom Arklow was second in last year's running of the track's richest race. “He was the best mile-and-a-half turf horse in the world coming into the Kentucky Turf Cup. But if you beat the best, then you're in the conversation.”

Crawford won't get any disagreement from Michael Hui, who claimed Zulu Alpha for $80,000 two years ago with the 2019 Kentucky Turf Cup in mind and now has earned more than $2 million with the gelding.

“I think he was in the conversation anyway, just because of his trainer,” Hui said of Arklow's trainer, Brad Cox.

The Mike Maker-trained Zulu Alpha started his 7-year-old season with a victory over an international field in Gulfstream Park's Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf, in which Arklow was fifth. Saturday marked the 10th time the horses had squared off, the two evenly split 5-5 for number of times finishing in front of the other.

Now the focus for both horses is squarely on the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Arklow won a maiden race at Keeneland and was second in the 2018 Grade 2 Sycamore, won by Zulu Alpha in the gelding's first race for Hui. Zulu Alpha also won Keeneland's July 12 Elkhorn in his last start before Saturday's race.

“Zulu is good, he was bouncing around the barn cooling out, had a lot of energy,” Hui said of the defeat. “You could tell he knew he didn't win. It's onward; we'll move on. We're just going to stick with the playbook we laid out after he won the Pegasus.”

Both horses have been fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf; Arklow in 2018 at Churchill Downs and Zulu Alpha last year at Santa Anita.

Zulu Alpha will train up to this Breeders' Cup, Hui said. Arklow could run back in New York's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, which the horse won last year to become a Grade 1 winner.

“Our next decision is: Do we go to the Joe Hirsch in three weeks and then give him five weeks to the Breeders' Cup? Do we just train him up to the Breeders' Cup?” Crawford said. “Brad is very, very pleased with the way he came out of the race. You want him to be fresh going into the Breeders' Cup, but you don't want him to be stale. To figure that out is the next challenge.”

Arklow crashed through the $2 million mark for earnings and now has made $2,446,116, the vast majority in his 24 turf starts spanning seven wins, six seconds and a third.

“I have a lot of confidence going forward with the equipment change that we're going to see more of the old Arklow,” Crawford said.

Crawford said that as much as bragging on Arklow, he wanted to praise stakes-sponsor Calumet Farm, Calumet owner Brad Kelley and Kentucky Downs. Crawford said that they make it possible “so that we can brag on horses like him.

“Kentucky Downs is one of the niftiest racetracks anywhere. What they do to make it so lucrative, the sport would be nowhere without them.”

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Elkhorn Winner Zulu Alpha Will Defend His Title In Kentucky Downs’ Turf Cup

Zulu Alpha continues to make a case as America's best turf horse at 1 1/2 miles, his three wins in four starts including the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf. Trainer Mike Maker brought the gelding into Sunday's G2 Elkhorn at Keeneland off a 3 1/2-month layoff. After getting squeezed at the start, Zulu Alpha found himself well off the slow pace set by Postulation but closed strongly under Tyler Gaffalione to win by three-quarters of a length.

His next start will be defense of his 2019 victory in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs, followed by the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 7 at Keeneland, a race in which Zulu Alpha finished fourth last year at Santa Anita.

“He's had his vacation and Mike's handled him phenomenally as far as his development and progression,” said owner Michael Hui. “This was the first step back, and he passed.”

The owner said not to forget Parlor, an $80,000 claim in March who finished second in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile.

“You were about two inches from a Grade 1,” Hui said. “That was a tremendous high watching Parlor take the lead in the stretch…. It was like 'no, no, no!' And Parlor got the perfect bob and still didn't get it. But that bodes well for Kentucky Downs, because his next start will be the Tourist Mile.”

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Pegasus Turf Winner Zulu Alpha Headlines Sunday’s Elkhorn At Keeneland

Michael Hui's six-time graded stakes winner Zulu Alpha will shoot for his third victory of 2020 when he headlines a field of 13 grass marathoners Sunday in the 35th running of the $175,000 TVG Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland.

The TVG Elkhorn will be contested over 1½ miles over the Keeneland turf course and be run as the final race of the five-day Summer Meet. First post time Sunday is 1:05 p.m. with the TVG Elkhorn going as the ninth race with a 5:30 post time.

NBCSN will provide live coverage of the TVG Elkhorn from 5-7 p.m.

Winner of the 2018 Sycamore (G3) and third as the favorite in the 2019 Dixiana Elkhorn, Zulu Alpha started his 2020 campaign with a victory in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Presented by Runhappy (G1) and followed that with a triumph in the Mac Diarmida (G2). In his most recent start, Zulu Alpha was second in the Kitten's Joy Pan American (G2) going 1½ miles.

Mike Maker trains Zulu Alpha, who will break from post position five under Tyler Gaffalione in the TVG Elkhorn.

Figuring to be the major rival to Zulu Alpha is $1.8 million earner Arklow.

Owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and Peter Coneway, Arklow won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) last fall at Belmont Park. Trained by Brad Cox, Arklow finished second in the Louisville (G3) in his most recent start that came off a 4½-month layoff. Arklow will exit post 10 under Florent Geroux.

The field for the TVG Elkhorn, with riders and weights from the rail, is: Apreciado (Gerardo Corrales, 118 pounds), Nakamura (John Velazquez, 118), Ramsey Solution (Julio Garcia, 118), Postulation (Julien Leparoux, 118), Zulu Alpha (Gaffalione, 120), Jais's Solitude (Corey Lanerie, 118), He's No Lemon (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Hellorhighwater (James Graham, 118), Oscar Dominguez (IRE) (Joel Rosario, 118), Arklow (Geroux, 123), Ry's the Guy (Chris Landeros, 118), Hierarchy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Henley's Joy (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118).

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