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Forever Young, shown winning the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 1, seeks a repeat win Saturday in the $20 million Saudi Cup. Photo courtesy of Breeders' Cup
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- It's Saudi Cup weekend, with some really good American horses racing in Riyadh against some of the world's best while others clash at home.
Oddly, while the 2025 Saudi Cup winner, Forever Young, returns to King Abdulaziz Racecourse seeking a repeat, the horse who beat him in last year's Dubai World Cup, Hit Show, is in New Orleans to contest the Grade III Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Included in the weekend's festivities are Kentucky Derby preps in both Saudi Arabia and New Orleans, where Ramadan and Lent both start this week. So let's enjoy some fast horses before the fasting starts.
The Saudi Cup
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Nysos, shown winning the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 28, takes on Forever Young in Saturday's $20 million Saudi Cup. Photo by Benoit Photography, courtesy of Santa Anita
His rivals in Saturday's $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup look at the foibles of Forever Young, the star Japanese colt who won the 2024 Saudi Derby and the 2025 Cup and was last seen winning the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Most of the competition is saying things like, "Well, if Forever Young doesn't bring his best ...."
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said Thursday his star is about 95% fit and he's confident. But if that doesn't work out, trainer Bob Baffert, whose horses have finished second three times, could have a chance with Nysos or even Nevada Beach.
Yahagi reluctantly identified Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos as his biggest potential threat, but others await any misstep by the big guns.
The Group 3 Saudi Derby has been added to the "Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby," but with too few points for the winner to guarantee a trip to Louisville. That offer likely goes to next month's UAE Derby in Dubai.
Nonetheless, four American trainers are taking potential Derby candidates for a spin on the Saudi track, along with five Japanese runners and others from England and France.
The Riyadh Dirt Sprint also has an international cast with Baffert high on the chances of Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up Imagination. The 6-furlong tilt looks like it could be a polyglot street fight.
The turf races on the program also have a lot to offer. The Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint has another international cast with trainer Mark Casse's Time to Dazzle and Doug O'Neill's Zio Jo representing North America.
The Neom Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles recently was promoted to Group 1 status and got a $1 million purse increase. And the Group 2 Red Sea Turf handicap is a 1 7/8-miles slog for some of the world's best stayers.
The Road to the Roses
In addition to their runners in Saudi Arabia, American trainers Steve Asmussien, Brad Cox and Kenny McPeek all have 3-year-olds in Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Fasig-Tipton Risen Star.
The favorite, though, is Paladin, a Chad Brown trainee who won his first two starts, most recently the Grade II Remsen in December at Aqueduct.
The son of Gun runner, out of the Tapit colt Secret Sigh, is owned by a partnership that includes the Coomore "lads," Peter Brant and Brook Smith and breeder Summer Wind Farm. This is the first 50-point race in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby, and the winner will move to the top of that list.
Sunday's $500,000 Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico also is a "Road" event with the winner earning 20 points. The eight-horse field looks like a tossup although Doug O'Neill has Pavlovian, who might be on the improve.
Also keep an eye on Saturday's $135,000 Damon Runyon at Aqueduct. It's for New York-breds at 7 furlongs.
The Path to the Oaks
Eight fillies are signed on for Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds. It's a well-matched bunch, with Bella Ballerina a narrow, 2-1 favorite. The Godolphin homebred Street Sense filly is 2-for-2 and won the Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in November.
At Sunland Park, the $250,000 Oaks has a solid favorite in the Baffert-trained Bottle of Rouge. The Vino Rosso filly won the Grade I Del Mar Debutante, but then was sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Saturday's $150,000 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn Park is just a 6-furlong sprint but cast an eye on the outcome anyway, just in case.
Turf
Saturday's schedule has the $100,000 Grade III San Marcos at Santa Anita and the $175,000 Grade III Fair Grounds Stakes.
Filly & Mare Turf
Saturday's $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial at Fair Grounds is one to watch.
Turf Sprint
The grass-running speedballs show their stuff in Saturday's $100,000 Turf Dash and $100,000 Lightning City for fillies and mares, both at Tampa Bay Downs, and Saturday's $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds.
Classic
Last year's Dubai World Cup winner, Hit Show, is the favorite among seven set for Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Mineshaft at Fair Grounds. Also Saturday, see the $100,000 Post Time at Laurel Park and $125,000 Dust Commander on the Turfway Park all-weather.
Distaff
Shred the Gnar and Alpine Princess headline Saturday's $175,000 Grade III Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park. At Laurel Park, a competitive field of eight contests Saturday's $100,000 Nellie Morse.
Sprint
Baffert has half the six-horse field for Sunday's $100,000 Palos Verdes at Santa Anita, including Madaket Road, who has done his best work over that track. Seven are set to go in Saturday's $200,000 General George at Laurel Park.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Saturday's $200,000 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park drew a field of eight.
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