Superstars from Japan, Hong Kong, and Dubai are lined up to contest the world's richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 22 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, while several of the expected American horses took a pass.
The list of likely runners released Feb. 7 by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia includes Hong Kong's 10-time group 1 winner Romantic Warrior; the 2024 Dubai World Cup (G1) winner, Laurel River; and Forever Young, winner of the 2024 Saudi Derby (G3).
Romantic Warrior, already a top-level winner in Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and Dubai, will be partnered by regular jockey James McDonald for his first run on dirt. The Japanese contingent also includes the 2024 Saudi Cup runner-up Ushba Tesoro, Wilson Tesoro, and Ramjet.
United States-based contenders will be in short supply.
White Abarrio, the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) champion and 2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) winner trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., had been expected back after a 10th-place finish in the 2024 Saudi Cup but was ruled out by his connections earlier in the week in favor of a U.S. campaign.
ROLLINS: White Abarrio to Skip Saudi Cup, Will Target Met Mile
The 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Sierra Leone, also is a no-show after developing an ill-timed foot problem. And the 2024 Saudi Cup winner, Senor Buscador , was abruptly retired days before his scheduled start in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Kenny McPeek craftily earned Rattle N Roll a spot in the Saudi Cup by sending him to victory in the domestic Saudi qualifier, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G3), rather than contesting the Pegasus. The Todd Pletcher-trained Pegasus runner-up, Locked, also is included in the list of probables, though the colt's connections may opt to stay stateside and run in the March 1 Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
Soul of an Angel, trained by Joseph, is on the standby list. Soul of an Angel is the reigning Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner.
Walk of Stars, who won the Al Maktoum Challenge (G1) at Meydan Racecourse last time out, will run for United Arab Emirates-based trainer Bhupat Seemar, who also conditions Laurel River. Facteur Cheval, who chased Walk of Stars home in third in the Al Maktoum Challenge in his dirt debut, will represent France for owners Team Valor International and Gary Barber, and trainer Jerome Reynier.
The local challenge for the sixth renewal of the world's most valuable race will be led by El Kodigo for trainer Abdulaziz Mashref.
Undercard Events
The Saudi Cup is the highlight of a two-day meeting on both dirt and turf, with events at the full range of distances, a race for horses from jurisdictions below the top international levels, and a jockey challenge that has drawn some of the world's best-known riders.
The Saudi Derby takes on particular interest with the Bob Baffert-trained Getaway Car and Chad Summers' Cyclone State, winner of the Jan. 4 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, expected in a full international field. Japanese trainers have four likely starters. Joseph O'Brien's Apples And Bananas and Roger Varian's Antelope Canyon represent Ireland and England, respectively.
Golden Vekoma, last-out winner of the UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G3) in Dubai, is also among the likely for the Saudi Derby.
This year's increased spacing between the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup provides additional incentive for horses to move from one to the next and the Saudi Derby thus naturally points to the UAE Derby (G2) April 5—a race that effectively now is a "Win and You're In" for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Only two other American runners are listed as likely for the Saudi Cup program. MyRacehorse's 2024 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Straight No Chaser, trained by Dan Blacker, is the lone American representative in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2), and 2024 Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1T) winner Howard Wolowitz, trained by Jose D'Angelo, is listed as likely for the 1351 Turf Sprint (G2T).
