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 Zuran Zuran (Riyadh Dirt Sprint) on the track Tuesday morning. |
On Tuesday morning in Riyadh, entrants for the third running of the $20 million Saudi Cup and its rich undercard were at King Abdulaziz Racetrack on the main track. Conditions were typical for mid February, with clear skies and temperatures in the high 60's during training. The races will be run Saturday evening (Saturday morning in North America), with the Saudi Cup going to post at 8:35pm local time (12:35pm ET). In North America the full card will be broadcast live on TVG in the USA and HPI in Canada, as well as on FOX Sports 1 from 8am-1pm ET. The Saudi Cup will be contested at 1800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) around one turn of the 1 1/4 mile main track.
Here are photos and comments for 41 horses that were out Wednesday morning. Please click the smaller photos to see a larger version.
 Art Collector (Saudi Cup) schooled in the paddock and starting gate and galloped 1 1/4 miles under assistant trainer Neil Poznansky. Poznansky said, "All went well. There is a strong possibility that they’re going to blow out a little bit tomorrow morning. We got in last Thursday and everything has been coming along steadily. He has been training well, and should probably run a decent race." |
 Country Grammer (Saudi Cup) breezed 1/2 a mile (untimed), observed by assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes, who appeared pleased with the move. |
 Magny Cours (Saudi Cup) galloped on the main track. Assistant trainer Richard Lambert said, "He’s travelled over really well. He is used to travelling, he always travels well. This morning he just went for a small canter on the dirt track and he will go just a little bit quicker tomorrow." |
 Mandaloun (Saudi Cup) galloped under assistant trainer Dustin Dugas. Dugas said, "He’s a tough horse. Yesterday his gallop was phenomenal, getting better and stronger with every stride. Towards the end of the gallop I had to work to pull him up as he was enjoying himself a little too much. He had a nice light little breeze this morning, half a mile. I was really happy with him. He was kind of looking around a little bit, as they had a bunch of people on the grass course this morning for the first time. So there was a lot going on. But he handled it well. The breeze may have been a tick slower than we originally wanted, but at the same time, being that it’s Tuesday, slower is probably better. Overall, we’re really happy. He hasn’t missed a grain, he’s eating up well." |
 Midnight Bourbon (Saudi Cup) blew out 1/2 a mile on the main track. Assistant trainer Scott Blasi said, "We weren’t looking for a lot with him, he had done most of his serious work back home and we just wanted to let him pick up his feet over the surface. I’m pleased with how he travelled over here and how he worked today. He’ll do some light training from here up until the race. Tomorrow he’ll walk." |
 Sealiway (Saudi Cup) galloped on the main track. Trainer Francis-Henry Graffard said, "It was Sealiway’s first time on the track this morning. He trotted for a good bit and then hacked for 800m before adding a very steady canter. I’m very happy with him." |
 T O Keynes (Saudi Cup) cantered 1 1/8 miles. Exercise rider Daisuke Aramaki said, "The travel from Japan to Saudi Arabia was very smooth and he was relaxed during the long travelling. As it was the first time he arrived here, he was a bit nervous of the new surroundings but he is now getting focused on what he does in training. He was very fresh this morning, which was quite similar to how he is before he runs in races at home and he was really feeling good. I had to be strong to hold him but that’s a good sign." |
 Skazino (Red Sea Turf Handicap) galloped on Tuesday. Trainer Richard Chotard said, "Skazino has had a good trip over. He is rather fresh and this morning he hacked and then went for a little canter. He will do some quicker work in the next few days. We shall see how he goes and maybe we will work him on the grass on Thursday. We take one day at the time."
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 Glycon (Red Sea Turf Handicap) galloped under exercise rider Lea Metayer. Metayer said, "The horse is in good form, he has travelled well. Yesterday I just hacked him on the training track and this morning he went for a small canter."
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 Consigliere (Saudi Derby) galloped 1 1/2 miles on the main track under trainer Yukio Inagaki, then schooled in the paddock and starting gate. Inagaki said, "I think he is feeling very well. Christophe Lemaire will gallop him on the dirt track tomorrow." |
 Pinehurst (Saudi Derby) galloped on the main track for trainer Bob Baffert. |
 Sekifu (Saudi Derby) cantered on the dirt track. "Since getting here, he has settled into the new surroundings and has been relaxed," work rider Tomoyuki Nakajima said. |
 Ginobili (Riyadh Dirt Sprint) galloped on the main track for trainer Richard Baltas. The Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) runner-up was a disappointing 6th in the Cigar Mile (G1) last out. |
 Dolma (Riyadh Dirt Sprint) is the local hope in this race. She comes here off a two race winning streak both in local handicaps. |
 Casa Creed (1351 Turf Sprint) schooled in the paddock and starting gate and galloped 1 1/4 miles under assistant trainer Neil Poznansky. Poznansky said, "All went well. There is a strong possibility that they’re going to blow out a little bit tomorrow morning. We got in last Thursday and everything has been coming along steadily. He has been training well, and should probably run a decent race." |
 Entscheiden (1351 Turf Sprint) galloped on the turf. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said, "He went out on turf to get the feel of the surface this morning, and he looked very well and healthy." |
 Lauda Sion (1351 Turf Sprint) warmed up on the main track and then galloped 1 1/2 miles on the turf under exercise rider Shigeki Todo. Todo said, "He worked on turf for the first time since he has arrived but moved nicely and relaxed. He has been same as how he is in Japan. He is feeling well both physically and mentally." |
 Songline (1351 Turf Sprint) hacked for a lap on the dirt course before she had an easy canter for a lap on the turf. "Everything has been well as planned. She had a gate training this morning and was able to stay calm in the gate," assistant trainer Keita Sekimoto said. |
 Authority (Neom Turf Cup) trotted and hacked for a half lap before cantering for a lap and quickening up for the last 400m on the turf track. "He worked on the turf track for the first time since he arrived, but he was moving nicely," assistant trainer Takanori Abe said. "He never gets excited and walked soundly after the work, so I think he has no issue with the new surroundings. He has been training very well so far." |
 Channel Cat (Neom Turf Cup) galloped on the main track for trainer Jack Sisterson. He was 9th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) last out. |
 Zuran Zuran (Neom Turf Cup) galloped on the turf for trainer Eduardo Tadei. He comes here off a win in the Gran Premio Dardo Rocha (G1) in Argentina. |
 Arctic Sound (Neom Turf Cup) was last of 13 in last year's running. |
 Deryan (Obaiya Arabian Classic) came to Saudi Arabia with Clemence Guillemin, daughter of trainer Didier Guillemin. "He seems really well," Clemence said. "This morning I just took him for a small canter. Tomorrow he will go a bit faster and I will know more then." |
 Hadi de Carrere (Obaiya Arabian Classic) cantered on the main track. Trainer Thomas Fourcy said, "Today he just went for a short spin around the track. He went for a slow canter over about 800m. He had a good journey over and is in good form." |
 Rasi (Obaiya Arabian Classic) |
 She'ris (Obaiya Arabian Classic) |
 My Frankel (International Handicap) was 3rd last out in the Ben Woollacott Memorial Handicap at Lingfield. |
 Ana Almaqsood (International Handicap) |
 Domi Go (International Handicap) |
 Finely Tuned (International Handicap) |
 Hamdani Khaled Al Khalediah (Al Mneefah) |
 Jarif (Al Mneefah) galloped on the main track. Trainer Elisabeth Bernard said, "He is not an easy horse, as he has a few issues and hence it’s difficult to keep him in top form throughout the season. However, this morning he really looked well. He went for a good canter over 7f and we are delighted to be here. The race on the turf is going to be tough, as there are some very good horses in there, but as I said, we are happy to be here." |
 Soko (Al Mneefah) galloped on the turf. Trainer Helal Alalawi said, "Soko arrived four days ago. We didn’t fly because, I don’t like to fly my horses too close to the race, I travelled with him in the horsebox. It can take 10 to 16 hours from the UAE, depending on how quickly we can clear the border. He was fine and today he worked very well on the turf track, he loved the track. Olivier Peslier will be riding Soko." |
 Tallaab Alkalediah (Al Mneefah) |
 Jaazmah Athbah (Al Mneefah) |
 Rysk Tout (Al Mneefah) |
 Teema (Al Mneefah) was last seen when winning at Paris Longchamp on the Saturday of Arc weekend. "I arrived yesterday from Doha, but Teema arrived two days ago," trainer Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte said. Everything is OK, she’s eating well and she was good on the track this morning, she did a hack canter and a small canter, just to see if she is ok. I’m very happy with her. It’s my first time here. They’re very nice facilities - impressive!" |
 Almobeer (Jockey Club Handicap) |
 Katheer (Jockey Club Handicap) |
 Alrahoob (Jockey Club Handicap) |
 Nabea Nabea (Jockey Club Handicap) |
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