Officials of the US$20- million Saudi Cup, the world’s richest horse race to be run on February 29, on Wednesday morning (February 5), listed an international field of 11 consisting mostly of American runners.
Champion three-year-old Maximum Security will be joined by a pair of Bob Baffert trainees, McKinzie and the recent Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner Mucho Gusto. The five-year-old mare Midnight Bisou is confirmed along with Juddmonte Farms homebred Tacitus and Gift Box, a dominant, repeat winner of Santa Anita Park’s San Antonio Stakes (G2) in his most recent start.
The internationals hail from three continents, with the globetrotting mare Magic Wand representing Europe, Benbatl and Gronkowski hailing from Dubai, and Chrysoberyl and Gold Dream entering from Japan.
“The establishment of the Saudi Cup is a great moment in the history of horse racing in Saudi Arabia,” said Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, “and I am gratified that the global racing community has embraced our new concept with such enthusiasm”.
Thursday’s Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2) at Meydan is expected to include both of the Dubai-based runners. Godolphin’s Benbatl will make the race his dirt debut, while Gronkowski will run second off the bench after a runner-up performance in the 2019 Dubai World Cup (G1).
The Americans have each run for the last time before the 1 1/8-mile Saudi Cup, which goes around one turn at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. McKinzie, Midnight Bisou, and Tacitus will all exit layoffs in the race, while Maximum Security was last seen winning the Cigar Mile (G1) in December. Gift Box’s camp has decided to travel rather than stay home for the March 7 Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Mucho Gusto, meanwhile, is back on the track since his Pegasus victory on January 25.
Purses on Saudi Cup day will total US$29.2 million. Among the other features expected to attract American entries are a US$1.5 million dirt sprint and a US$800,000 Derby. Turf races will run over a new course installed for this programme
This featured Saudi Cup field was whittled down from 140 nominations, with horses prioritised based on ratings set by an in-house handicapper. The fields for each race will be completed with the addition of two local runners, which will be selected following Saturday’s local Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
“Since the launch of the Saudi Cup less than seven months ago, the level of support and assistance we have received from our friends in the world of horse racing has been quite overwhelming,” said Tom Ryan, director of strategy for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. “I could not be happier with the quality of the horses set to contest our big races in just over three weeks’ time.”
Saudi Cup day races will run Lasix-free.
