Had the distance for the G3 1351 Turf Sprint Presented By STC been set just a few metres longer, Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) may well have been recording his second victory in the race for Bill Mott on Saturday, but it was the front-running Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) who clung on from the fast-finishing runner-up to open the floodgates for the Japanese raiders on Saudi Cup night.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, who would go on to win the Saudi Cup with Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Bathrat Leon was extremely brave under Ryusei Sakai in relegating Casa Creed to the runner-up spot for the second year in a row.
Successful in the G2 Godolphin Mile on dirt at the Dubai World Cup meeting last year, connections of Bathrat Leon suggested that the versatile 5-year-old would aim for a repeat success at Meydan next month.
Yahagi said, “Even as a trainer, I don't have the right answer if he is a turf horse or a dirt horse. I thought Bathrat Leon would suit the turf here and the distance. I think his best is seven furlongs, this is six-and-a-half furlongs.
“The jockey and I had the same opinion to go from the front. They get on very well. We won today, we have to have a discussion with the owner. He handles turf pretty well, but at the moment I would say we can look at the Godolphin Mile.”
It was a second major triumph in the last six days for the 25-year-old Sakai, who guided Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) to victory in the G1 February S. at Tokyo last Sunday.
He said, “I am very grateful to the owner and my boss Mr. Yahagi and the connections who gave me the chance to ride here. My horse had the best run, he had a great trip.”
Last year's winner Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) broke slowly and never recovered while Luis Saez, the rider of Casa Creed, was left ruing what might have been on the second.
He said, “He broke from there pretty well and I was in a good position. I thought we were going to get up to win but every time the winning horse just kept going and going and it was too late when we passed him. That's racing but I saw the line and I knew I was not in front in time. He tried pretty hard, it's just the winner was tough to catch. I thought we were going to get him.”
Prior to Saturday's winning effort, the 5-year-old ran fourth in the G2 Hanshin Cup on Christmas Eve.
Pedigree Notes
Kizuna is the sire of top-level winners Songline and Akai Ito (Jpn) among his 20 stakes winners. Although it is fairly early days yet for New Approach as a broodmare sire, his best are American champion Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and fellow top-tier winners Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) and Mustang Valley (NZ) (Vanbrugh {Aus}).
One of three foals and the only winner out of the unplaced Bathrat Amal (Jpn) (New Approach {Ire}), Bathrat Leon is followed by the 3-year-old filly Letter My Heart (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). Two-time Group/Grade 1 winner Serious Attitude (Ire) (Mtoto {GB}) is a half-sister to Bathrat Amal, and she is the dam of triple group winner and G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) second Stiffelio (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}).
Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia 1351 TURF SPRINT PRESENTED BY STC-G3, $1,500,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-25, 4yo/up, 1351mT, 1:17.48, gd.
1–BATHRAT LEON (JPN), 126, h, 5, by Kizuna (Jpn) 1st Dam: Bathrat Amal (Jpn), by New Approach (Ire) 2nd Dam: Zameyla (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire) 3rd Dam: Angelic Sounds (Ire), by The Noble Player
O-Hiroo Race Co., Ltd.; B-Mishima Bokujo; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai; $900,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn & UAE, 19-5-0-3, $2,600,990. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Casa Creed, 126, h, 7, Jimmy Creed–Achalaya, by Bellamy Road. ($15,000 Ylg '17 OBSJAN; $105,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-LRE Racing LLC & JEH Racing Stable LLC; B-Silver Springs Stud, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Luis Saez; $300,000.
3–Raaed (Ire), 126, g, 6, Dark Angel (Ire)–Ambassadrice (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£90,000 Ylg '18 GOFAUG; 55,000gns HRA '20 TATOCT). O-Sharaf Mohammed S. Al Hariri; B-J. Hanly, A. Stroud & T. Stewart (Ire); T-Bedan Alsubaie; J-Ricardo Ferreira; $150,000.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 8.00, 5.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Happy Romance (Ire), Resistencia (Jpn), Lusail (Ire), Rozgar (Ire), Garrus (Ire), Lauda Sion (Jpn), Songline (Jpn), Pogo (Ire). VIDEO.
Leading US-based rider Luis Saez lifted the International Jockeys Challenge presented by stc at Riyadh racecourse on Friday.
It had turned out to be the ideal culmination for the competition with five of the 14 male and female riders from around the world still in with a chance of winning by the time of the last of the four legs.
Saez, who had ridden at the meeting before, ended up winning one race and finishing second in two others, including the Round 4 finale.
“It's super exciting, I want to say thank you to everybody for this magnificent moment-my family, well everybody, I'm pretty happy,” he said.
“Over here I don't understand the form too much, I could only see how my horses ran last time and so I studied every horse, which was a bit difficult. But I had a good feeling, I have a lot of faith in my horses, I feel like they are going to run good and every horse ran pretty good so I'm pretty happy. I rode the horses like they told me, pretty much. When you break from the gate, when you are in a good position, be kind, be confident and try and win the race.
“This place is very special for me, I really love this course, I love the dirt, I love everything here, the people, I feel like this is home here.”
Yuga Kawada filled the runner-up sport while British-based rider Joanna Mason, who gave an exhibition from the front in Round 2 aboard Medbaas (KSA) for Saad Bin Khiood, took the bronze medal.
“To come second in the last and win this has been amazing,” Mason after victory aboard Medbaas. “I just got told simple instructions, jump out, get to the rail because he likes being in front and push on from the 600m, he's all speed. That's what he did and he went on again.
“When the horse came to me he pulled out that bit extra. I'm not experienced on the dirt but it rides beautifully, I've been on a first and a second, I really can't complain!”
An amateur rider from as far back as 2006 who has also competed in jumps races, Mason has made a striking impression in a couple of full seasons as a professional, steering home 46 winners in Britain last year and has been clocking up many miles in the car during the current domestic all-weather season.
She continued, “To even be picked to be out here, as much as representing the UK and the rest of the world and the females, to have a second and a winner, I couldn't have asked for anything better. It's a dream come true, everyone has been so hospitable.”
by Brian Sheerin in Riyadh, Heather Anderson & Alan Carasso
Wherever and whenever horses from Japan show up on the world stage, recent history dictates that they are to be taken very seriously.
As recently as 12 months ago at the Saudi Cup meeting, horses representing the island nation accounted for four of the evening's six big races, and a month later in yet another desert destination, they somehow managed to one-up themselves with a spectacular five-timer on Dubai World Cup night. The nation has yet–repeat, yet–to break through in either of the world's eight-figure races on the dirt, but they will have every chance to rewrite history just past 8:30 local time Saturday when a half-dozen accomplished Japanese runners take on seven others in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.
The most accomplished of the group at Saturday's nine-furlong distance on the dirt is Jun Light Bolt (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), who earned an automatic berth in the Cup via his last-gasp defeat of 2022 G2 UAE Derby hero Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) in the G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo last December (see below). Purchased for better than $1 million as a yearling at the JRHA Select Sale, the bay won four of 21 starts on the grass, but has been reborn with the surface switch; the Champions Cup was his third win from four runs on the main track. He'll carry saddle towel six from barrier number six.
“Several front-runners drew inside so there is going to be plenty of early speed,” said trainer Yasuo Tomomichi. “I believe he can settle anywhere the jockey wants to be.”
WATCH: Jun Light Bolt up late in the Champions Cup
Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is expected to be part of the early pace, as he drew the inside stall Wednesday. Having dead-heated for the victory in last year's G1 Dubai Turf, he ran a couple of blinders in defeat in the G2 Sapporo Kinen and particularly in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), where he dared them to catch him after opening a monstrous lead and was only run down in the final yards. He makes a second start on dirt for the charismatic Yoshito Yahagi, who was matter of fact as relates to the draw.
“I never think about the numbers but number one should be a good number,” he said. “There's only one instruction–gotta go!”
Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) is the most prolific Japanese Group 1 dirt horse and passed up an opportunity for a third straight February S. in favour of Saudi riches. He'll have to negotiate a trip from gate 13 with Joao Moreira up.
“Cafe Pharoah has won the [February S.], and if you're able to win that race, you have to have a lot of ability,” the 'Magic Man' said. “I'd be very surprised if he runs a poor race. He's solid, strong, big, and apparently he knows what his job is. I'll be very surprised if he's not finishing in the top four.”
Though it would be no shock to see them run well, G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) hero Geoglyph (Jpn), a son of American dirt sprint champion Drefong, and the well-traveled Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), right there in last year's Dubai Turf, would be nevertheless be considered upset winners, all things considered.
Don't Sleep On The Locals…
Emblem Road (Quality Road) gave the home team its first win with a stunning victory over Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the big race last year and is back to defend his title. Fifth as the surprising favourite in the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy–a lone start on the turf–last July, the 5-year-old resumed with a smooth four-length conditions success in strong time Jan. 13 (video, SC 4).
“I'm so happy with the number eight, he's a late horse from the gate, so I can be outside easily,” said jockey Alexis Moreno. “He's doing very well, he's run well and I hope he can do it again.”
The commonly owned Scotland Yard (Quality Road), a graduate of the Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age Sale, has earned his way into the Saudi Cup with three wins on the trot, including a 10 1/4-length romp over Electability (Quality Road)–winner of a $500,000 handicap Friday–in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup Jan. 28 (video, SC 16).
Saudi Arabia is also represented by the two females in the race, former Polish champion Lagertha Rhyme (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) and Sunset Flash (Ire) (Mayson {GB}).
Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) ships over from Dubai for Bhupat Seemar, having run a distant third to the G1 Dubai World Cup-bound Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 at Meydan three weeks ago. —Alan Carasso
Will Waters Part For Subjectivist In Red Sea Turf?
A baker's dozen line up in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. over 3000 metres on grass, and the $2.5-million dollar question is if multiple Group 1 winner Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) has returned to his formidable best after overcoming a tendon injury and 600-plus days away from the races.
Trainer Charlie Johnston was still an assistant to his father, Mark, when the bay stormed to victories in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak in October of 2020, the G2 Dubai Gold Cup in March of 2021 and the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot later that June. It is a big ask for the 6-year-old, but Johnston is happy with his star's progress.
“It is a feeling of the unknown,” said Johnston. “We wouldn't be here if we didn't feel we would be competitive. Can I have the same confidence I had two years ago? No. This horse is coming back from a serious tendon injury, a tendon injury that in a lot of cases is career-ending. It is not like a bone injury that you know would have repaired to 100%.
“Stall 13 wouldn't have been my first choice of where to jump from, but it is what we've got and we just have to make the best of the situation.
“The horse seems in good fettle with himself and it's all systems go. I think he is showing the signs of a horse who has spent 20 months away from the track and he was always quite a difficult horse to lead up, particularly on a raceday going back a couple of years, so it doesn't concern me to see him full of himself.”
HE'S BACK!
Gold Cup winner SUBJECTIVIST will return to action in the Red Sea Turf Handicap after a 20 month break
John and Thady Gosden won the second running of the Saudi Cup with Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), and are back in Riyadh with Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) for this marathon affair. The 2022 Ebor H. winner carries the Godolphin blue, and was third after briefly leading in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup in October.
“He's an Ebor winner who was able to make the step-up to group class when he was third in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot, so you would like to think he will continue to develop into a good stayer,” the younger Gosden said. “But this is a very good race, not least with the return of Subjectivist, and he faces very tough competition in a very competitive handicap.”
Japan's Silver Sonic (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) will be cutting back in trip on Saturday, after running out an 3/4-length winner of the 3600-metre G2 Sports Nippon Sho Stayers S. first off a seven-month hiatus on Dec. 3. The Shadai colourbearer is slotted into post one, near Darius Racing and Michael Motschmann's 2021 G1 Deutsches Derby victor Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}), who leaves from stall three for trainer Henk Grewe. In between them is the outstandingly well-bred Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), third in the G3 Sagaro S. for owners Tracey Bell and Caroline Lyons, from the yard of Ian Williams. If the last-named were to triumph, he would be the fourth group winner for his stakes-winning dam Prudenzia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). –Heather Anderson
Missed The Cut A Warm Order For Neom Turf Cup
Can George Boughey and Oisin Murphy get off to the best possible start together with Missed The Cut (Quality Road) in the G3 Neom Turf Cup?
Murphy has committed to riding Boughey's Royal Ascot winner this season and they will be bidding to get off to the best possible start in the $1.5-million contest.
Missed The Cut is a short-priced favourite to get his campaign off with a bang and Boughey says that he is happy from what he is seeing from the 4-year-old in the build-up to the race.
“We're happy with him,” Boughey said. “He beat the Dubai World Cup favourite [Algiers {Ire} (Shamardal)] on the all-weather at Lingfield back in November and he comes here in super shape so we are looking forward to it.
“The Algiers form is obviously good form. Algiers has taken his form to a different level on the dirt in Meydan and this is a whole different kettle of fish for Missed The Cut. It is a tight 10 and a bit furlongs [2100m] around the turf here. He has got plenty of pace and I'm hoping he should go well.”
Missed The Cut could face stiffest opposition from fellow British raiders Sir Busker (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), trained by William Knight, and John and Thady Gosden's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
John Gosden said, “Mostahdaf is training well having had a nice break after the Arc when he didn't handle the very heavy conditions.
“He looks great and seems to be enjoying the warmer climate. He is a lightly raced colt, still with plenty of potential and he has Group-winning form between 10 and 12 furlongs [2000m to 2400m].”
The trainer added, “We don't have any campaign mapped out for him yet, we would like to take it step-by-step, but I'd be hopeful of a good showing tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Sir Busker comes into the Neom Cup off the back of a blowout under Ryan Moore on the all-weather, and the leading jockey remains loyal in Saturday's contest.
Knight said, “He's been in good order here and he arrives on the back of career-best form last year with a Group 2 win and a Group 1 place.
“He has come out of his prep a few weeks ago at Lingfield very well and Ryan Moore is back on him. We're hopeful of a big run.”
Bahrain-based veteran trainer Allan Smith will be hoping to grab the headlines with Byline (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). Consistent throughout his career, the six-year-old comes into the contest after finishing third in the Listed Crown Prince Cup over 2000m on Feb. 3.
Speaking after morning track work on Friday, Smith said, “He breezed very well today. He galloped out good and was clean-winded. I'm very pleased with him.”
In 2021, Al Adiyat and Smith were a close second in the 1351 Turf Sprint on Saudi Cup day with Dark Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). This year, they bring a similarly overlooked type into the meeting. Veteran jockey Gerald Mosse takes the reins from post three.
“He's taken everything in stride since he arrived and is a happy horse,” Smith continued. “There wasn't much to do with him since he got over here from Bahrain. He's had a nice busy season and ran just a couple weeks ago. He ran a good race, but was a bit unlucky with a high draw and being wide throughout the entire race. He's better than that.
“He ran 10 furlongs [2000m] last time and this race is a little farther than that, but Bahrain has a big, sweeping track and this is a tighter track, which makes me think the distance won't be a problem. He's doing very well and we're hopeful for a good run.” —Brian Sheerin
MISSED THE CUT was unraced one year ago. He is now a Royal Ascot winner, a Listed winner and lines up in the Neom Turf at @thesaudicup on Saturday.
While Richard Hannon is doubly represented in the following G3 1351 Turf Sprint by Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), the race appears to be dominated by Japanese-trained runners, including last year's winner Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}).
Trained by Toru Hayashi, Songline will again be partnered by Christophe Lemaire, who rode four winners on this card 12 months ago.
Lemaire said of Songline's chances of a repeat win aboard the Japanese raider, “I think she is in better condition than last year. If I remember correctly last year, when I rode her in the morning, she was a little bit stiff. Today, I felt she was very smooth and her footwork was very good so I am more confident than last year.”
He added, “She will have to show that she is a Group 1 horse. She had some issues last autumn but this morning she looked brilliant. All the staff did their best to bring the mare at her best for Saturday. She can stay the mile so it means that, if the pace is strong, you will need stamina in the last furlong. She has got that stamina.”
Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}), winner of the G1 NHK Mile Cup in Japan, returns to the race he finished fourth in last year. He had a breeze on the dirt track under jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev on Friday and was reported by connections to be in good form.
Shigeki Todo, assistant to trainer Takashi Saito, said, “We prefer giving just a stretching-out breeze rather than fast gallop on the week of the race–it is our stable's routine. He looked under control this morning with the jockey which I always want to see.”
Hannon's Happy Romance was third to Songline in this race last year and, along with Lusail, makes up a strong challenge for the trainer.
Hector Tournier, representing Hannon, said, “Both horses have done the work they needed at home. They travelled well and are easy horses.” —Brian Sheerin
My Map Looks To Stay Unbeaten in Derby
Locally based My Map (Liam's Map) looks to run his unbeaten mark to five-from-five as he takes on an international group in the $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby Cup Saturday evening.
Winner of a pair of starts over the summer season at Ta'if, he returned from a three-month freshening to take a local allowance over 1400 metres and made it four in a row in the Saudi Derby Qualifier Jan. 27, defeating Almulhem (More Than Ready) by 2 1/4 lengths, with Atta Alghali (Karakontie {Jpn}) a further half-length adrift in third. My Map drew 13 of 13.
Japan took the first two runnings of the Derby and will have a strong chance to add to that total here. Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) makes his 3-year-old debut Saturday, having won two of his three trips to the post at home, including the Cattleya S. conditions race that serves as the first leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby at Tokyo Nov. 26. His lone defeat came in his second career start at the hooves of Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), who would go on to annex the second leg of the Kentucky Derby series, the Dec. 14 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun. Third that day was Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes), recent winner of the Listed Hyacinth S. to climb to the top of the Derby leaderboard. From Dusk (Bolt d'Oro), Group 2-placed on turf, and Ecoro Ares (Unified) look like fringe players from the barn of Hideyuki Mori, who saddled Full Flat (Speightstown) in 2020 and the late Pink Kamehameha (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) the following year.
Bob Baffert won last year's renewal with Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) and is represented here by Havnameltdown (Uncaptured). Campaigned exclusively over six and seven furlongs to date, the Florida-bred won the GIII Bob Hope S. in November and tacked on a 1 1/2-length success in the GII San Vicente S. Jan. 29. He tries to see out the mile here with Frankie Dettori in the irons. —Alan Carasso
WATCH: My Map makes it four out of four in the Saudi Derby Qualifier
From 'Prince' To King In Dirt Sprint?
Like many of the Saudi Cup night races, there is a high class Japanese presence in one form or another, and in the $1.5-million G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Presented By Sports Boulevard, three runners from the Land of the Rising Sun have signed on.
Chizu Yoshida's Dancing Prince (Jpn) (Pas de Trois {Jpn}) is back to defend his title in the 1200-metre dirt feature, and will leave from stall seven in the nine-horse race under Damian Lane.
More likely to wind up in the winner's circle than not, the Chizu Yoshida runner has only lost once since his victory here, and defeated the re-opposing Ryuno Yukina (Jpn) (Vermilion {Jpn}) going this trip at Morioka in the Listed JBC Sprint on Nov. 3.
However, there is also a strong American contingent headed by Juddmonte's Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Elite Power (Curlin), who has won his last five starts for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. Frankie Dettori is booked for the entire, who splits the nine-horse field in gate five. A 1 1/4-length victor in the GI Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint in November, the 5-year-old is not the only Breeders' Cup participant, as GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile fourth and GI Hopeful S. scorer Gunite (Gun Runner) enters fresh off a victory in the Jan. 28 Listed King Cotton S. at Oaklawn Park. The Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred leaves from stall two with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons for trainer Steve Asmussen, who recently celebrated his 10,000th career victory.
“Gunite has been training really well and as evidenced by his first performance as a 4-year-old, he's doing quite well,” said David Fiske, who manages owner/breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds' racing and bloodstock. “I get videos almost every day of him since arriving in Saudi Arabia and he seems to be doing great there. The race has been in the back of our minds as an early goal since the Breeders' Cup. His race in the King Cotton increased our confidence that he could be effective in a race that, on paper, might appear to be a little short for him, distance-wise.” –Heather Anderson
Bob Baffert has issued an upbeat bulletin on his Saudi Cup contenders and said that, if for whatever reason his short-priced favourite Taiba (Gun Runner) does not get the job done, then stablemate and last year's runner-up Country Grammer (Tonalist) should be there to pick up the pieces in the world's richest race on Saturday.
The Saudi Cup is one of the only big dirt races that has eluded Baffert and, along with Country Grammer, the American handler has sent out Charlatan to fill the runner-up spot to Mishriff (Ire) in 2021.
This year's challenge is headed by three-time Grade I winner Taiba, who had to be put through the stalls on Friday morning after his antics at the track the previous day, and the battle-hardened Country Grammer. Mike Smith will partner Taiba while Frankie Dettori takes the mount aboard Country Grammer.
“He just has so much quality,” Baffert said of Taiba. “He will do what you want–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.”
Taiba will line out for Saturday's race at Riyadh off the back of an easy win in the Malibu S. on December 26, the same Grade I Baffert's 2021 runner-up Charlatan won in preparation for his Saudi Cup effort.
“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 that December 26 card at Santa Anita, Country Grammer returned to the winner's enclosure impressively in the Grade 2 San Antonio. Thus far, he is two out of two with Dettori in the saddle.
“I think both horses are doing really well and Jimmy [Barnes, assistant] is really happy with how they look out 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. 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 Saudi Cup will be broadcast on FS2 beginning at 8 a.m. ET Saturday morning. Equibase past performances can be found on page 2 of the newsletter.
BATHRAT LEON バスラットレオン holds on!!
#サウジカップ
pic.twitter.com/9fWS8floPL
