Decision on Knicks Go's Saudi Cup plans coming soon

Charlatan is in. Tacitus is in. England-based 4-year-old Mishriff, winner of the 2020 French Derby, is in. But whether Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go is in or out of the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20 remains to be determined.

A decision on whether Knicks Go goes for the Saudi Cup or waits for another spot, perhaps the Dubai World Cup, will be made by Monday, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday.

Knicks Go flew from Florida back to his winter base at Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Sunday. Cox said he’ll return to the track to train sometime late this week.

“He does look really good out of the race, sound, a 5-year-old with a lot of energy. His weight’s great,” said Cox, who trains Knicks Go for the Korea Racing Authority.

Knicks Go never had raced beyond 1 1/16 miles before the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus, which he won while eased up across the wire by jockey Joel Rosario, earning his second straight 108 Beyer Speed Figure. The Saudi Cup is a one-turn, 1 1/8-mile race, while the Dubai World Cup is contested over about 1 1/4 miles around two turns, a trip Cox thinks the horse will handle.

“He just runs them off their feet early, doesn’t exactly quicken, but doesn’t slow down,” Cox said.

With or without Knicks Go, Charlatan should be a formidable participant in the second Saudi Cup. Charlatan missed time between May and December but overwhelmed favored Nashville to impressively win the Grade 1 Malibu going seven furlongs on Dec. 26, earning a 107 Beyer.

“We just made it in time of his layoff to run in the Malibu,” said trainer Bob Baffert, who sent Mucho Gusto to a fourth-place finish in the inaugural Saudi Cup. “After that we were thinking about the Pegasus, but it was coming back a little too quick. I thought the Saudi Cup was perfect timing for him.”

Charlatan worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 on Wednesday at Santa Anita. Mike Smith is booked to ride him in Saudi Arabia.

Tacitus finished fifth in the Saudi Cup before moving on to Dubai, where he was set to contest the 2020 World Cup before COVID-19 led to its cancellation. The same two-race schedule is planned again this year, assistant trainer Riley Mott said Wednesday, and Tacitus will have a travelling companion in Channel Maker. Channel Maker, third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf after two Grade 1 wins last season, is aimed toward the $1.5 million Middle Distance Turf Cup over 1 5/16 miles. If all goes well there, he’ll move on to the Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on the World Cup card.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said earlier this month that the connections of Max Player hoped to be invited to the Saudi Cup. Baffert considered sending Spielberg to the Saudi Derby but has decided against it.

Mishriff, trained by John Gosden, finished second in the 2020 Saudi Derby before going on to a strong European turf campaign and will return to dirt for the Saudi Cup. Addeybb, who ended his 2020 campaign winning the Group 1 Champion Stakes, is a possible Saudi Cup runner.