Crown Pride leads Japan $20m Saudi Cup invasion

Yes, its ‘true news,’ that the Korea Cup winner Crown Pride is at $41 with Ladbrokes for the firth running of the $20 Saudi Cup on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

With this Saudi Cup being run over 1800m on the Tapeta dirt track, it was Crown Pride winning the sixth Korea Cup of 1800m on the sand-based track last year, an International Grade 3.

Now first-up this season after an unhappy eleventh in the Champions Cup in December following his Korea Cup victory, having been fifth to Panthalassa earlier last year in the Saudi Cup.

Winning both his starts over 1800m a juvenile, and a 2¾ length winner of the UAE Derby, he accepted his ‘Win-n-Your In’ invitation to the Kentucky Derby finishing 13th of 20 to Rich Strike.

A 5yo home-bred from Shadai Farm, he’s the best of the Yamiuri Milers Cup winner Reach The Crown from the good dirt winner Emmy’s Pride, by twice champion sire King Kamehamehia.

Drawing Gate 6 of 14 runners, he’ll be ridden by Joao Moreira for trainer Koichi Shintani, and will be racing in the famous yellow and black stripes, with red cap and sleeves of Teruya Yoshida.

As some-what of a rematch of the Longines Breeder’s Cup Classic, it’s the race winner White Abarrio who is at $3.30 with betting sites and again ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for Richard Dutrow Jr, starting in Gate 1.

In somewhat recent news it was Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia who has purchased a sizable interest in White Abarrio and now race in his red and white silks.

With Clint and Mark Cornett of C2 Racing maintaining a majority interest, he’s a true rags-to-riches story in being a $7,000 yearling and $40,000 two-year-old, with his sire Race Day in Korea.

As with White Abarrio, Japan’s BC Classic second placed Derma Sotogake, is also first-up having been a length second at Santa Anita and will again ridden by French expat Christophe Lemaire.

In drawing Gate 13 and at $7 for trainer Hidetaka Otonashi, in all three starts last year he was third in the Saudi Derby, then a 5½ length winner of the UAE Derby, and sixth In the Kentucky Derby.

A ¥19.8m buy for Hiroyuki Asanuma at the 2021 JBIS Select Yearling Sale, he’s the duel Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Mind Your Biscuits from Kanto Oaks winner Amour Poesie, by Neo Universe.

Also from Japan is their 2023 Best Dirt Horse and Champions Cup race qualifier Lemon Pop, who is also first-up having last year also winning the February Stakes and has drawn 3 for Ryusei Sakai.

Priced at with betting apps $5 for trainer by Hiroyasu Tanaka and owners Godolphin he was bred in Kentucky by Mr and Mrs Oliver Tait, selling as a foal for $70,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Sale.

Sired by the Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, he’s from the unplaced Giant Causeway mare Unreachable, being the family the great modern-day sire Danehill plus Eagle Eyed, Shibboleth.

At $9 is the 2023 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro, who is also first-up having won his second Tokyo Daishoten in December, and is in Gate 11 for Yuga Kawada and trainer Noboru Takagi.

Now a 7yo and winner of 11 of 32 races, he’s by champion racehorse and sire Orfevre, who was twice second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, from the King Kamehamehia mare Millefeui Attach.

Also returning to Riyadh is Bob Baffert with his Preakness hero National Treasure who is fresh off winning the Pegasus World Cup also with Flavien Prat, and is at $5.50 in jumping from Gate 7.

The FMQ Stables owner Saudi Crown is now $15 for Florent Geroux and Brad Cox, Senor Buscator at $19 with Junior Alvarado and $21 for Hoist The Gold for John Velazquez and Dallas Stweart.

From Dubai its Doug Watson with Isolate at $21 for Joel Rosario, while the Saudi runners comprise Defunded at $21, with Camel Road at $26 and Power In Numbers $31 and Scotland Yard at $51.

However, with the twice Teio Sho winner Meisho Hario now a non-runner it has reduced the field to four Japanese runners, with Scotland Yard of Saudi Arabia now having his same 12 Barrier.