Taiba targets Saudi Cup in February as next start
ARCADIA, Calif. - Taiba, a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding 3-year-old male of 2022, will make his next start in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 25.
A three-time Grade 1 winner in 2022, Taiba joins the 6-year-old Country Grammer in the Saudi Cup for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Amr Zedan of Saudi Arabia.
Country Grammer was second in the 2022 Saudi Cup and won the $12 million Dubai World Cup last March.
Taiba and Country Grammer won graded stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.
Taiba won the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on Dec. 26, his first start since he finished a well-beaten third behind the undefeated Flightline in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
Earlier in 2022, Taiba won two Grade 1 races at 1 1/8 miles – the Santa Anita Derby in April and the Pennsylvania Derby in September. The Saudi Cup is run at 1 1/8 miles, but Baffert said on Sunday that the race suits horses with more stamina.
“You have to have a horse that can go a mile and a quarter,” Baffert said. The track “is deep. Races in the Middle East are demanding.
“It’s exciting and a chance for $20 million.”
Country Grammer was the easy winner of the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for his first win in three starts since the Dubai World Cup. Country Grammer is co-owned by Commonwealth Thoroughbreds and Winstar Farm.
Defunded, the winner of consecutive graded stakes at 1 1/8 miles for Baffert last fall, worked five furlongs in a rapid 58.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Sunday for the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28.
Defunded won the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1 and the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 27, leading or disputing the pace in both races.
The $3 million Pegasus World Cup is run at 1 1/8 miles.
“I think he deserves a chance at it,” Baffert said. “He’s training very well. I think he’s coming into his own.”
Defunded’s workout time on Sunday was the fastest of 97 works at the distance on the main track. Owned by the partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Defunded has won 5 of 13 starts. A 5-year-old, Defunded had his best season in 2022, winning 3 of 6 starts.
Stilleto Boy, third in the 2022 Pegasus and second in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes to Country Grammer on Dec. 26, is another California-based candidate for the Pegasus World Cup.
Trained by Ed Moger Jr., Stilleto Boy worked a half-mile in 51.20 seconds on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
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