Familiar foreigners part of Red Sea on Saudi Cup undercard

Maybe you, North American racing fan and bettor, have not heard of many of the horses in the $2.5 million Red Sea Turf, but that does not mean this is not a strong race.

The Red Sea Turf, contested over about 1 7/8 miles, drew 15 entrants, at least two of which – Mirinaque and Baron Samedi – ought to be familiar to we Americans.

Mirinaque campaigned in American during 2020 and into 2021 before returning to his native Argentina but was only seventh in this race a year ago.

Get free past performances for the Saudi Cup card here.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained Baron Samedi won the Belmont Gold Cup on June 4, though he faces far tougher opponents on the King Abdulaziz Racecourse turf. Baron Samedi has more capability than he showed in his most recent start, a distant sixth in the British Champions Long Distance Cup, but even when he hit his mark two races ago in the Irish St. Leger Stakes, he was third, beaten more than two lengths by victorious Sonnyboyliston, another Red Sea runner.

:: Wagering on the Saudi Cup and the Saudi Cup Pick 6 is available now on DRF Bets

Sonnyboyliston, trained in Ireland by Johnny Murtagh, only found himself the second half of 2021, his 4-year-old season. Before toting 137 pounds to victory in the Irish St. Leger, run over 1 3/4 miles, Sonnyboyliston carried 134 pounds to victory over 19 rivals in the prestigious Ebor Handicap over York’s left-handed course.

“We had a great end to the season with him last year, but he has done really well over the winter, and he definitely strengthened up on his break and looks strong,” Murtagh told Saudi Cup publicity this week.

The French horse Skazino should race competitively. Skazino found his niche last year at age 5, when he was switched to staying races – but Skazino has his stamina limits. His subpar showing in the Prix du Cadran came at 2 1/2 miles, and in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran on Oct. 24, contested at 1 15/16 miles, Skazino finished a good second. The Cadran third-place finisher, Glycon, a lightly raced and capable 6-year-old, also is part of this field.

:: Want to start playing with a $510 bankroll and have access to free Formulator? Learn more

nd Siskany, who ships from Dubai for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby, rates a chance. Siskany lacks established group stakes-level form but tried a distance longer than 1 1/2 miles for the first time Jan. 28 in Dubai and won a $100,000 stakes over 1 3/4 miles by nearly six lengths.

1351 Turf Sprint

Naval Crown is the heavy favorite in overseas fixed-odds betting markets to win the $1.5 million 1351 Turf Sprint. The race is so named because of its distance in meters, which works out to about 6 3/4 furlongs.

That should suit Naval Crown, who was fourth last year in the one-mile English 1000 Guineas and has several times exceeded that performance level in seven-furlong starts. He made one of those Jan. 21 in Dubai, beating 13 in the Al Fahidi Fort and doing so easily.

:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures

The lone American runner, Casa Creed, also should appreciate the trip. Casa Creed, trained by Bill Mott, doesn’t stay one mile in top competition nor can he find his best form in American turf sprints at five or 5 1/2 furlongs. The 6-year-old did not care for Euro-style Kentucky Downs two starts back and has a win chance if he repeats his sharp score in the Grade 1 Jaipur last June.

The Japanese filly Songline also has gotten respect in the antepost market.

Riyadh Dirt Sprint

Copano Kicking won the six-furlong $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint by a neck last year and is back from Japan for a repeat attempt. Copano Kicking has raced only twice since March, making this start seem like his connections goal, and his fourth-place finish Oct. 6 in the Tokyo Hai was comparable to his performance in the same race a year earlier.

The American horse Ginobili has been favored in antepost pools. Trained by Richard Baltas, Ginobili has sufficient talent to win a race like this, but all his best performances have come at seven furlongs or one mile.

The Saudi horse Faz Zae enters on a three-race winning streak, just as he did before a third-place Dirt Sprint finish last February.

◗ Pinehurst, provided he has shipped well and handles the surface, should win the $1.5 million Saudi Derby, a one-turn mile that drew 16 entrants. Trained by Bob Baffert, Pinehurst finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, his lone two-turn try, but won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity last summer and earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure finishing second on Jan. 29 in the San Vicente, both races contested at a one-turn seven furlongs.

◗ The Japanese horse Authority and the England-based Pyledriver, second last out in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase, head a 14-horse field entered in the $1.5 million Neom Turf Cup over 1 3/8 miles on turf. Among the entries is Calumet Farm’s Channel Cat.