Six California runners Saudi-bound

ARCADIA, Calif. – Led by Nysos, winner of the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, six California-based runners are scheduled to start on the Saudi Cup program in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 14.

Nysos and Nevada Beach, first and second in the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert, will start in the $20 million Saudi Cup at 1 1/8 miles. The field is expected to include Forever Young, winner of the BC Classic at Del Mar last November and the champion older dirt male of 2025. Forever Young, based in Japan, won the 2025 Saudi Cup.

Baffert also is sending Imagination for the Group 2, $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint at six furlongs. Imagination won the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs last September and was second in the BC Sprint in November.

The Riyadh Dirt Sprint is a target for Lovesick Blues, winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar last July. Trained by Librado Barocio, Lovesick Blues was sixth in the BC Sprint in his last start.

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Barocio said Sunday that a gap of more than three months between races may suit Lovesick Blues, an 8-year-old gelding who has won 9 of 43 starts.

Lovesick Blues was purchased privately by Barocio in late 2024. Lovesick Blues finished a game second in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita last March in his first start for Barocio after a six-month layoff.

“He ran so well,” Barocio said. “He fired fresh. I’ll go back to what worked when I first bought him. I think I’m on the right track with him.”

In the BC Sprint, Lovesick Blues was beaten seven lengths after a troubled trip. He raced in traffic early and rallied from last of 14.

“In the Breeders’ Cup, he had a tough trip,” Barocio said. “He was closing really fast.”

Trainer Doug O’Neill is sending two runners to Saudi Arabia – Acknowledgemeplz for the Group 3, $1.5 million Saudi Derby at a mile and Zio Jo for the Group 2, $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Acknowledgemeplz finished third in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds on Jan. 10 at Santa Anita. He worked six furlongs from the gate in a sharp 1:11.60 on Saturday.

Zio Jo was third in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course Dec. 29. Though winless in nine starts in 2025, Zio Jo was second or third in four stakes, including a second in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita in March.

O’Neill had a practical explanation for planning starts in seven-figure stakes in Saudi Arabia with Acknowledgemeplz and Zio Jo.

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“We got invited,” he said. “They’re both doing well. We thought, let’s do it.”

O’Neill said Acknowledgemeplz and Zio Jo may be considered for races at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 28, pending results in Saudi Arabia.

Flavien Prat, who won his second Eclipse as the nation’s outstanding jockey of 2025, is booked to ride Acknowledgemeplz, Imagination, Nysos, and Zio Jo. Irad Ortiz Jr., the current leading rider at Gulfstream Park’s winter meeting, is booked to ride Nevada Beach, Baffert said Sunday.

Geovanni Franco will ride Lovesick Blues, according to Barocio.

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