Top four U.S. runners draw posts 6-9 for Saudi Cup

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – In a Saudi Arabian desert or an Iowa cornfield, there is plenty to chase.

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The $20 million Saudi Cup will become the world’s richest race when 14 older horses go 1 1/8 miles on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racetrack. It is the world premiere of the Saudi Cup. No one knows the ending, but this motion-picture tale has played before. “It’s like the Kevin Costner movie – build it and they will come,” trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday in Riyadh. “This is the Saudi ‘Field of Dreams.’ ”

It features an all-star cast with leading roles by Jason Servis-trained champion 3-year-old Maximum Security, Baffert’s multiple Grade 1 winner McKinzie, and worldwide Grade 1 winner Benbatl, from the deep Godolphin Stable, trained by Saeed bin Suroor.

After the Wednesday evening post-draw ceremony at King Abdulaziz, one can say the world’s most valuable race attracted a proportionately valuable field. By chance, four top American runners drew side by side in the middle of the field of the one-turn race.

Midnight Bisou, Maximum Security, Mucho Gusto, and McKinzie drew posts 6 through 9. That quartet and Benbatl in post 3 will take much of the betting action outside of Saudi Arabia, where gambling is prohibited.

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While none of the top contenders is compromised by post, upset candidate Tacitus could have done better. He drew post 2 and will need luck. Front-runner North America is two stalls to his outside in post 4. Front-runner/pressers Maximum Security and McKinzie leave from posts 7 and 9, respectively.

In post order, this is the Saudi Cup field and riders: Gold Dream, Christophe Lemaire; Tacitus, Jose Lezcano; Benbatl, Oisin Murphy; North America, Richard Mullen; Gronkowski, Frankie Dettori; Midnight Bisou, Mike Smith; Maximum Security, Luis Saez; Mucho Gusto, Irad Ortiz; McKinzie, Joel Rosario; Chrysoberyl, Christophe Soumillon; Great Scot, Alexis Moreno; Magic Wand, Ryan Moore; Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona; and Mjjack, Abdullah Aloufi.

Post positions also were drawn for the Saudi Cup undercard. Race 1 is the $1 million Mohamed Yousuf Motors Cup, led by Deirdre. Race 2 is the $1 million 1351 Turf Sprint, which includes U.S. shippers Ghoul and Legends of War. Race 3 is the $2.5 million Longines Turf Handicap with Cross Counter and Dee Ex Bee. Race 4 is an Arabian race. Race 5 is a $500,000 handicap for locally stabled runners.

Race 6 is the $800,000 Saudi Derby, which includes U.S. shippers Billy Batts and Rowdy Yates. Race 7 is the $1.5 million Saudia Sprint with Imperial Hint.

Post time for the Saudi Cup, the final race on the card, is 8:40 local time (12:40 p.m. Eastern, 9:40 a.m. Pacific). The Saudi Cup will be shown live on FS1 as part of a broadcast that begins at noon Eastern.