While the $20 million Saudi Cup will become the world’s richest horse race when it is run for the first time on Feb. 29, its influence on United States racing has already begun.
Five U.S. runners bound for the Saudi Cup, and seven others for lucrative undercard stakes, arrived this week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saturday evening at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, they race for the highest purse in history. Who’s going?
“I’m going,” declared trainer Bob Baffert, “$20 million gets me off the couch.”
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – The various strategies that racing organizations across the globe are enacting in the wake of animal-welfare concerns buffeting nearly every major racing jurisdiction in the world were outlined Friday morning at the Asian Racing Conference, a sobering rundown that illustrated the existential crisis facing racing worldwide.
A horse with stamina and ratable speed is a horse that can do some things, and when he gets the right conditions, Ghaiyyath can do a lot.
Thursday, making his first start since distinctly not getting the right conditions in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October, Ghaiyyath mauled five overmatched foes in the Group 3, $200,000 Dubai Millennium Stakes, winning the 2,000-meter turf stakes by 8 1/2 lengths while clocking a Meydan course-record 2:00.33.
Andrew Le Jeune:
R1: 2-10-5-7
R2: 2-4-8-10
R3: 11-4-1-7
R4: 4-6-9-3
R5: 9-6-1-4
R6: 1-8-6-9
R7: 5-9-7-1
R8: 8-1-11-12
Best: R6 N1 Red Desert
Each/way: R8 N1 Mr Croissant
Play: Q/QP R8 1-8-11
Tom Wood:
R1: 3 – 6 – 2 – 1
R2: 10 – 2 – 8 – 9
R3: 4 – 7 – 6 – 2
R4: 6 – 3 – 4 – 9
R5: 9 – 6 – 1 – 3
R6: 8 – 5 – 1 – 9
R7: 9 – 1 – 7 – 5
R8: 1 – 12 – 3 – 5
Big Time Baby is one of the few runners on the Hong Kong circuit equally as effective in turf races and on the infield dirt track at Sha Tin.
On Jan. 29, Big Time Baby finished second in the Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy at five furlongs on the straightaway turf course at Sha Tin. Earlier in the current Hong Kong season, which began in September, Big Time Baby won six-furlong handicaps on dirt at Sha Tin in September and December.
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Beauty Generation, the Horse of the Year in Hong Kong the last two seasons, ended a four-race losing streak in Sunday’s Group 1 Queen’s Jubilee Silver Cup at Sha Tin, a victory that could lead to an appearance in Dubai on March 28.
Sent off as a strong favorite, Beauty Generation (3-5) won the $1.28 million Queen’s Jubilee Silver Cup at seven furlongs by a half-length over 17-1 Ka Ying Star. Zac Purton rode Beauty Generation. Beat the Clock, a 2-1 chance who won Group 1 races at Sha Tin in December and January, finished fifth of seven, 3 3/4 lengths behind Beauty Generation.
Andrew Le Jeune:
R1: 11-2-5-3
R2: 1-5-8-11
R3: 3-4-6-13
R4: 12-2-3-8
R5: 1-11-9-2
R6: 6-8-1-4
R7: 1-2-6-4
R8: 13-1-4-10
R9: 14-9-3-7
R10: 4-14-8-13
Best: R1 N11 Incanto Prepared
Each/way: R4 N3 Lightning Steed
Play: R1 Q/QP 2-5-11
Graham Cunningham:
R1: 2-8-13-12
R2: 4-3-5-9
R3: 7-4-14-13
R4: 7-3-2-6
R5: 1-3-11-2
R6: 3-8-1-6
R7: 1-2-4-3
R8: 4-13-1-14
R9: 14-2-3-13
R10: 4-13-1-2
Best R10 N4 HAPPY FUN
Capezzano’s reputation for needing his first race after a layoff took a major hit Thursday when he won the Group 3, $200,000 Firebreak Stakes by seven lengths in his first start since the Dubai World Cup on March 30.
His facile front-running victory in this one-turn mile (1,600 meters) puts Capezzano on track to race Feb. 29 at Riyadh in the $20 million Saudi Cup over 1,800 meters.
