Imagination ran arguably the best race of his career when he finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar last November, a performance that puts him at the center of attention for Saturday’s Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia. Trained by Bob Baffert, Imagination was an accomplished 3-year-old in 2024, winning the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles and finishing second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles. Imagination may be better as a sprinter. Last fall, Imagination won the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship as a prep race for the BC Sprint. He closed from sixth of 14 to finish second in the $2 million BC Sprint at six furlongs. The Riyadh Dirt Sprint, worth $2 million, is run at six furlongs. Imagination, co-owned by a partnership that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, starts from post 9 in a field of 13. Flavien Prat, who won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s leading rider for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, rides Imagination. Prat was aboard Imagination for three second-place finishes in maiden races in late 2023 and early 2024 and takes the mount from California-based Juan Hernandez, who is riding at Santa Anita this weekend. “I thought he ran super in the Breeders’ Cup,” Prat said at Santa Anita last weekend. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. In the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, Imagination will race against contenders from Japan, California, and Florida, and a well-regarded locally based runner. American Stage, a Kentucky-bred colt trained in Japan, was fourth in the BC Sprint. In his only subsequent start, American Stage was 11th of 16, beaten six lengths, in the January Stakes at six furlongs on Jan. 18 at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan. American Stage was near the front to early stretch before fading in the final furlong. The Riyadh Dirt Sprint is the richest race, and the 14th career start, for Just Beat the Odds, who won the Grade 3 Elite Power Stakes at six furlongs on Dec. 6 at Aqueduct in his graded stakes debut. Trained by Gregg Sacco, Just Beat the Odds is quick enough to set the pace. A 6-year-old gelding, Just Beat the Odds had a steady pattern of works at Tampa Bay Downs before the trip to Saudi Arabia. Lovesick Blues, winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar last July, has not raced since a troubled sixth-place finish in the BC Sprint. The Riyadh Dirt Sprint is the 8-year-old gelding’s 44th start. The Irish-bred Muqtahem was second in the 2025 Riyadh Dirt Sprint to the American-trained Straight No Chaser, who has since been retired. Muqtahem is unbeaten in five subsequent starts, all at six furlongs in Saudi Arabia. The Riyadh Dirt Sprint is one of five seven-figure races for Thoroughbreds on the same program as the $20 million Saudi Cup at 1 1/8 miles. Saudi Derby There are eight nominees for the Triple Crown among 14 entrants in the Group 3 Saudi Derby at a mile. The first five finishers in the $1.5 million race receive 30-15-9-6-3 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs through the Europe-Middle East qualifying division. Two berths to the Kentucky Derby are available through the 10-race series, which concludes with the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby on March 28 in Dubai. The field for the Saudi Derby includes four American-based runners – Acknowledgemeplz, third in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes on Jan. 10 at Santa Anita; My World, winner of the Nashua and Jerome stakes at Aqueduct in his last two starts; Obliteration, who won the Renaissance Stakes at six furlongs by 7 1/2 lengths on Jan. 3 at Oaklawn Park; and Very Connected, fifth in the Gun Runner Stakes on Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds. :: Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!  My World, trained by Brad Cox, has won twice at a mile. He tends to race as a stalker and has a favorable draw from post 6. Obliteration will start in the eighth and longest race of his career Saturday for trainer Steve Asmussen. There are three Japan-based runners in the Saudi Derby nominated to the Triple Crown – Best Green, Keiai Agito, and Tokai Ma Cherie. Best Green won three consecutive stakes from June to October before finishing third to the well-regarded Pyromancer in a one-mile stakes at Kawasaki Racecourse in Japan in December. Satono Voyage, winner of the Cattleya Stakes at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse in November for his third consecutive win, is rated as another Japanese contender in the Saudi Derby but was not nominated to the Triple Crown at the first stage last month. 1351 Turf Sprint After winning stakes on both American coasts in the final months of 2025, Reef Runner will have his first international start in the Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint at 6 3/4 furlongs on Saturday. Trained by David Fawkes, Reef Runner has finished first in four of his last five starts. The exception was a fourth-place finish by four lengths in the BC Turf Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. In his last start, Reef Runner won the minor Janus Stakes at five furlongs on Dec. 20 at Gulfstream Park, showing his customary closing style. The $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint is a longer race, but one that Reef Runner should handle. Last September, Reef Runner won the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, closing from last in the final furlongs. The 1351 Turf Sprint drew 13. Reef Runner’s main rival is Lazzat, who was second of 19 by a neck in the Group 1 British Champions Sprint at six furlongs at Ascot in October. Lazzat will handle the expected firm conditions at Riyadh. Last June, he won the Group 1 Jubilee Stakes on good-to-firm turf at six furlongs at Royal Ascot, the most prestigious of his eight wins in a 14-race career. Reef Runner is one of three American-based runners along with Time to Dazzle, a closer who won the Grade 2 Franklin Stakes for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Keeneland in October, and Zio Jo, who was third in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course on Dec. 29 at Santa Anita. :: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.  Time to Dazzle, trained by Mark Casse, ended a seven-race losing streak in the Franklin. This is her 15th start and stakes debut against males. Zio Jo would be a surprise winner but has run well at times in sprint stakes on turf for trainer Doug O’Neill, including a second at 19-1 in the Stormy Liberal Stakes at Del Mar in November. The Japanese stakes winners Fortune Time and Panja Tower, and Zefzaf, winner of a local prep race on Jan. 16, are capable of top-three finishes. Neom Turf Cup The Group 1 Neom Turf Cup at 1 5/16 miles has a purse of $3 million and is the richest race on the program aside from the Saudi Cup. While there are no American-based participants in a field of 11, Silawi may be a familiar name to North American race fans as the winner of the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine last October. Silawi was 13th in the BC Turf at Del Mar in November but a much sharper second in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Jan. 23 in Dubai. Shin Emperor won the 2025 Neom Turf Cup but has lost his last four starts in Group 1 races in Dubai, Ireland, and Japan. Royal Champion, second in the 2023 Canadian International, has appealing form on the basis of his win in the Group 2, $1 million Bahrain International Trophy in Bahrain in November, his last start. ◗ The longest race on the program is the Group 2 Red Sea Turf Handicap at 1 7/8 miles, another race without American-based runners. Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien has two outstanding chances with Goodie Two Shoes, a 7-year-old mare who was second in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in Australia in November, and Tennessee Stud, who was third in the Group 1 English Derby last June and won the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay for 3-year-olds at 1 7/8 miles at Longchamp in Paris in October. The $2.5 million Red Sea Turf Handicap is Tennessee Stud’s first start against older horses. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.