Saudi Crown makes it look easy in Louisiana Stakes

Saudi Crown got an easy lead, an easy win in the Louisiana Stakes, and a perfect prep for his major target next month in the Middle East.

Cruising along on a modest pace under Florent Geroux, Saudi Crown ($3.40) thoroughly outclassed five rivals in the Grade 3, $175,000 Louisiana on Saturday at Fair Grounds, putting this race to bed at the three-sixteenths pole and jogging past the finish a 5 3/4-length hero.

Florent Geroux, winning his fifth race from the first 12 on the card, rode Saudi Crown a bit from the three-sixteenths pole to the eighth pole, but looking at the infield video board, Geroux could see there was no competition and geared his mount down with just less than a half-furlong to run.

“That was a very nice move, exactly what we wanted and needed,” Geroux said.

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Saudi Crown, owned by FMQ Stables, has Saudi Arabian connections and, all being well, is headed to Saudi Arabia for the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 24. He ought to be formidable there. Saudi Crown doesn’t have the stamina to go a fast pace and stay 1 1/4 miles, which contributed to his 10th-place finish in his most recent start, the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But the 1 1/16-mile Louisiana was well within his range, and the one-turn, 1,600 meters of the Saudi Cup should hit this newly turned 4-year-old's sweet spot.

“Big run, should set him up for Saudi,” said Brad Cox, who was sending out his fourth winner on the card. “We’re hoping he’ll take to the one turn.”

He already has. Saudi Crown, by Always Dreaming out of New Narration, by Tapit, won his first two races at six and 6 1/2 furlongs before losing the Dwyer Stakes, a one-turn mile, by a nose. He then was second in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and won the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, both around two turns at 1 1/8 miles, before fading in the Classic.

Cox freshened the colt a bit before getting six timed workouts into Saudi Crown preparing for his first race of 2024. Breaking from post 3, Saudi Crown bounded to the lead and was not challenged by another dedicated front-runner, Five Star General, waltzing through easy splits of 24.14 and 47.93. The race was over before the far turn and very much over well before the wire.

Saudi Crown was timed in 1:43.20 over a fast track.

Red Route One, who raced surprisingly close to the pace, came up the rail and narrowly earned the place from outside-closing Happy American, who had rallied from last. Five Star General was fourth, Confidence Game fifth, and 5-2 second choice Smile Happy last of six. Smile Happy was making his first start since July and, as had been the case a half-year ago, balked at being loaded into the starting gate. He had no response when passed by Happy American and ran one-paced to the wire.

Saudi Crown had long since gone past the finish. A long trip for vast riches now lies ahead of him.

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