RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The audience was small and the money was big on a warm, comfortable Saturday evening at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, where a crowd estimated at 8,000 or fewer witnessed top-class Thoroughbred racing. International runners dominated the early stakes as American runners fell short. Below is a recap of the major undercard stakes prior to the $1.5 million Saudi Sprint (race 7) and the $20 million Saudi Cup (race 8). Race 1 The last horse to leave the gate won the first turf race ever run at King Abdulaziz. Port Lions broke last, trailed the field, but rallied to defeat heavily fancied runner-up Deirdre by a head in the $1 million Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup at 2,100 meters. For The Top finished third. Adrie De Vies rode the winner; For The Top finished a length back in third. There were no American runners in the field; winner Port Lions has a California background. A gelding by Kodiac, he was produced by Cold Cold Woman, winner of the 2005 CTT & TOC Stakes at Del Mar for trainer Neil Drysdale. The trainer of Port Lions is Bahrain-based Fawzi Naas. Race 2 Frankie Dettori and Dark Power rallied from just off the pace to defeat pacesetter Mubtasim in the $1 million stc 1351 Turf Sprint as American shippers Ghoul and Legends of War finished off the board. Glorious Journey ran third in the 1,351-meter turf sprint. :: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Ghoul, trained by Peter Miller and ridden by Joel Rosario, raced near the back and did not rally. He finished eighth. Legends of War, trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Rafael Bejarano, pressed the pace and surrendered. He finished sixth. The trainer of Dark Power is Bahrain-based Allan Smith. Race 3 Legendary French trainer and former jockey Freddie Head, who trained Goldikova to win three Breeders’ Cup Miles, also is a keen tout. Head told media this week in Saudi Arabia that Call the Wind was a better horse this year. Head was right. Call the Wind and jockey Oliver Peslier scored a decisive victory in the $2.5 million Longines Turf Handicap. Call the Wind saved ground in sixth, weaved through traffic in the stretch, and won by 2 1/2 lengths over Mekong. Prince of Arran finished third; pre-race favorite Cross Counter finished fifth. There were no American runners. Call the Wind, a gelding by Frankel, could run next in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup on March 28. He finished third in that race last year. Race 6 Full Flat, a Japan-based colt that finished fifth in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, scored a decisive victory in the $800,000 Saudi Derby. Mishriff, Final Song, and American shipper Rowdy Yates finished second through fourth. Billy Batts, the second California shipper, did not threaten. Yutaka Take rode Full Flat for trainer Hideyuki Mori. Rowdy Yates was far back early but finished well to miss by four lengths. Billy Batts did not gain his expected early position and was unable to threaten. He finished seventh.