Gunite will head to Saudi Arabia off impressive King Cotton score

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Gunite served notice he’s sitting on a big 4-year-old season Saturday, when he won the $150,000 King Cotton at Oaklawn Park in his first start since the Breeders’ Cup.

Gunite covered six furlongs on a sloppy, sealed track in 1:08.89, winning by four lengths over Tejano Twist.

Next up: A trip to the Middle East.

“We want to go to Saudi Arabia with him,” said trainer Steve Asmussen.

Asmussen said earlier this week the King Cotton was intended to serve as Gunite’s stepping-stone to the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia. It will be run at 1,200 meters, or about six furlongs, on Feb. 25.

Gunite ($3.40) was cutting back to one turn for the King Cotton after running fourth in the BC Dirt Mile on Nov. 5 at Keeneland. He tracked the pace set by Gar Hole, who led through an opening quarter in 22.43 seconds and a half-mile in 45.48. Gunite moved closer to the leader coming to the quarter pole, overtook that one in the stretch, and sailed home under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

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Asmussen said the King Cotton was chosen as a prep for Saudi Arabia because it gives him a month to Riyadh Dirt Sprint, a timing pattern that has worked well in the past for Gunite.

Gunite is a Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred who as a 2-year-old captured the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga. He was winning his sixth stakes race in the King Cotton and overall is 7 for 14 for earnings of $1,110,509.

Miles Ahead finished third in the King Cotton, 1 3/4 lengths behind Tejano Twist.

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