Saturday’s $1 million Rebel Stakes is the third of four qualifying points prep races at Oaklawn Park for the May 6 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and it has an influential history on the road to the Derby.
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Byron King’s Derby Dozen for Feb. 22
BloodHorse news editor Byron King presents his latest Derby Dozen Presented by Spendthrift, with a look at his leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 6.
Grade 1 Dirt Winners Cafe Pharoah, Jun Light Bolt Among Six Japanese Entrants For Saudi Cup
The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia released the following notes on Tuesday in preparation for its flagship event, the $20 million Saudi Cup on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023.
Cafe Pharoah (JPN) – Two times a winner of the Grade 1 February Stakes in Japan (on dirt), the 6-year-old has been having a steady preparation towards the big race.
“For the first couple of days after he arrived here he was a little bit tired from the long trip,” assistant trainer Naoto Suzuki said.
“He has recovered well by now so his morning work is getting more intensified day-by-day. He had a nice steady canter for a lap on the dirt track and is ready for his fast work tomorrow.”
Country Grammer (USA) and Taiba (USA) – Bob Baffert's pair arrived in Saudi Arabia a few days ago. Assistant Jimmy Barnes confirmed the pair were tack-walked around the quarantine barn on Tuesday. They had been out for an easy 600m workout along with Saudi Derby-bound stablemate Havnameltdown (USA) on Monday and are expected back on the track on Wednesday.
Crown Pride (JPN) – Japan's emerging dirt performer is going to have his third overseas appearance on Saturday, having won the UAE Derby last year and run in the Kentucky Derby. The frequent traveller has behaved like a team leader for the Japanese barn.
“If I bring him to the dirt track every morning, he could be excessively keen which is what I do not really want. So, this morning I gave him a light canter on the training track to relax. He is in good condition ahead of his fast work tomorrow,” assistant trainer Masafumi Matsuda said.
Emblem Road (USA) and Scotland Yard (USA) – Last year's impressive Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road is being readied for Saturday's feature race alongside stable companion Scotland Yard for local trainer Moutaib Almulawah.
The pair are among the first to step out onto the King Abdulaziz Racecourse for morning trackwork and Saad Abdulwahed, representing the trainer, gave a positive update on Tuesday morning. “Both Emblem Road and Scotland Yard are good and I am happy to say everything is fine,” he said. “They have done their fast work and tomorrow morning they will just canter.”
Geoglyph (JPN) – The Japanese 2000 Guineas winner in 2022 had an easy canter on the dirt track.
“I feel relieved that he has travelled to Saudi Arabia safely, which is very important,” Shingo Hashimoto of owners Northern Farm said.
Jun Light Bolt (JPN) – The winner of the Grade 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo (on dirt) in December arrived last Friday.
“It was a smooth travel so he did not lose much weight, which was good,” assistant trainer Hideo Hanada said. “He spent the first couple of days doing only relaxed exercise and I brought him to the dirt course for the first time on Sunday. So far, he has been cantering nice and smoothly on the dirt, so I believe he handles the surface here. He did a starting gate practice yesterday and nothing was wrong. We are going to work him on dirt tomorrow.”
Panthalassa (JPN) – Having shared victory with Lord North in the Dubai Turf at Meydan last year, the 6-year-old by Lord Kanaloa is experienced at long-distance travel. He had an easy canter on the dirt track.
“I am very glad that he has travelled to Saudi Arabia without any problem,” Yusaku Oka, assistant to trainer Yoshito Yahagi, said.
“His appetite is good, better than he is at home, and he keeps his good condition. He was a bit edgy and seemed to be anxious about the unfamiliar surroundings on the first day, but he is now getting used to it. He will gallop on the dirt track tomorrow, and we are going to decide which horse should work in tandem.”
Remorse (IRE) – Bhupat Seemar's representative was due to arrive from Dubai on Tuesday.
Sunset Flash (IRE) and Lagertha Rhyme (IRE) – “Both my mares are training well and they will run to their best in The Saudi Cup,” trainer Naif Almindeel said.
“This race will be the hardest they have been in, but they are very consistent and finished one-two in the Gulf Cup last time over the mile (1600m). We are very happy to have two runners in the world's richest race.”
Vin de Garde (JPN) – Had an easy canter for one and a half laps on the dirt track.
“Thanks to the great support from the The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, everything has been organized and gone well so far and I have trained him as planned since he got in. He is in great form,” Kazuo Fujiwara, assistant to trainer Hideaki Fujiwara, said.
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Elite Power, Casa Creed ‘Perfect’ In Tuesday Works Toward Saudi Cup Undercard Assignments
Considering Bill Mott's career, it goes without saying that one must take his world-stage contenders seriously – and serious contenders are exactly what the iconic conditioner has at this year's Saudi Cup meeting.
Mott won the first major international Flat race in the Middle East – the 1996 Dubai World Cup with Cigar – and has captured 12 Breeders' Cups since.
Fresh off a victory with Saudi Cup alumnus Art Collector in last month's Pegasus World Cup, Mott seeks more big race glory with Juddmonte's Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Elite Power (USA) and LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed (USA) – leading chances in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint and the 1351 Turf Sprint respectively.
Mott's right-hand man accompanying his international travellers over the past few years has been assistant trainer and exercise rider Neil Poznansky, who was aboard for the final serious workouts on Tuesday morning at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
Having arrived on Friday with a couple of days on the track to acclimate, the pair appeared comfortable in their 600m (three furlongs) blowout breezes down the stretch.
“Elite Power seemed to handle it really well,” Poznansky said. “He's training exceptionally well. Elite Power wouldn't be here if we didn't think he could win. He seemed to like the track in the breeze – I got him in about 38 (seconds) – so hopefully that transfers into his race.
“He is a big, strong animal who just loves running. He can be pretty active in his training, where Casa Creed is an old professional, but both were perfect today and both did all their prep work well back at Payson Park in Florida.”
Three-time Grade 1 winner Casa Creed completed his maintenance work under Poznansky with precision before heading back to the international quarantine without a fuss.
A seven-time winner from 29 starts, who finished second in the 1351 Turf Sprint last year, the son of Jimmy Creed followed up his Riyadh run with a close fifth in Dubai's Al Quoz Sprint before winning Belmont's Jaipur Stakes over 1200m (six furlongs) and Saratoga's Fourstardave over 1600m (one mile).
“We can take him anywhere,” Poznansky said. “He's really a neat horse to be around. The last couple of days he's just doing his thing and going around there and I think he recognizes the place. He's a 7-year-old, but he's training as good – if not better – than ever.
“I think Luis [Saez, jockey] knows him a lot better this time, as it was his first time on him last year. I think the unique distance here hits him right between the eyes and is in his favor. The horses are unraced since the Breeders' Cup but they're both doing great and Casa Creed, especially, seems to really enjoy running fresh.”
Being a substantial part of Team Mott gives Poznansky the privilege of learning from a conditioner who appears to have mastered the nuanced process of shipping a top-class runner from America abroad, performing well and then returning the horse to its best form upon return. Casa Creed's 2022 campaign would be a prime example.
“Bill reads the horse really well and just has a feeling of what to do with them,” Poznansky explained. “He knows when he needs to back off and when to press on. He's very hands-on about everything. He's really amazing at what he does.”
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