Charlatan, Knicks Go heading home; Sleepy Eyes Todd, Tacitus in Dubai

Charlatan, Knicks Go, and Max Player are headed back to the United States from Saudi Arabia later this week, while Sleepy Eyes Todd, Tacitus, Channel Maker, and Cowan have gone on from Saudi Arabia to Dubai.

Sleepy Eyes Todd, who was fifth, and Tacitus, who was seventh in the Saudi Cup on Saturday, are being pointed to the Dubai World Cup on March 27. Channel Maker is headed to the Sheema Classic on the same program at Meydan Racecourse. Channel Maker held a lead in midstretch but wound up second Saturday in the $1 million Neom Turf Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

Also finishing second Saturday was Cowan, who broke slowly, a costly misstep, in the $1.5 million Saudi Derby, where he finished with good energy to just miss catching Pink Kamehameha. Cowan races next in the UAE Derby on the Dubai World Cup undercard.

The horses coming back to America fly on Friday to Chicago, where they must do seven days quarantine at a U.S. Department of Agriculture facility located on the Arlington backstretch.

Favored Charlatan was caught in the final furlong by Mishriff and finished second in the $20 million Saudi Cup. He came out of the race in good shape, trainer Bob Baffert said.

“He’s a lightly raced horse and he came out well,” Baffert said. “One thing about him – he’s a good shipper.”

Charlatan took the race to Knicks Go from the start, and the pair raced on even terms around the far turn – Knicks Go inside, Charlatan outside – until Charlatan got the better of his pace rival. Charlatan went clear but was worn down by Mishriff, who went on to win by one length.

“He ran a very gallant race. We knew a little speed duel could develop. The stretch got a little long for him,” Baffert said.

Baffert declined to speculate on when and where Charlatan could next race.

Knicks Go, who faded to finish fourth, likely will get time off upon his return to America, trainer Brad Cox said.

“He seems to be a touch tired – which he deserves to be – and now he’s going to get a freshening,” Cox said.

Sleepy Eyes Todd had early trouble for the second race in a row. As had happened in the Pegasus World Cup last month, Sleepy Eyes Todd was bothered just after the start – Mike Smith on Charlatan was suspended two days by Saudi Arabian stewards for his role in the incident – and wound up much farther off the pace than intended. He finished up decently and came out of the race well, trainer Miguel Silva said Monday from Dubai, and will take his chance in the $12 million World Cup.

Tacitus ran below his best form, losing position from the top of the stretch to the finish, but the World Cup over a more suitable 2,000 meters remains the goal.

As for Mishriff, he is a possible World Cup runner, but trainer John Gosden wants to observe his charge over the next 10 days or two weeks back in England before finalizing plans. Mishriff’s jockey, 21-year-old David Egan, was fined $100,000 by the Saudi stewards for exceeding the 10-strike maximum for crop use during the race. Egan went to the whip 11 times, costing him 10 percent of his earnings in the $20 million race.