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Although the Japanese contingent tried their best to make it another major win, highlighted by a deep-closing second-place effort from the Koshiro Take-trained Sekifu (JPN), fast-breaking Pinehurst proved too strong under Flavien Prat in The Saudi Derby.
The third renewal of the US$1m Saudi Derby was an inaugural riding experience for USA-based Frenchman Flavien Prat.
Sekifu continued to gain on Pinehurst with every stride under Cristian Demuro to pass the line half a length adrift, however his efforts were in vain with Unbeaten Consigliere (JPN) came in third, under the man-of-the-moment Christophe Lemaire.
The Yukio Inagaki trained colt was part of the early pace before taking a breather and coming back with renewed vigour. The locally-trained Alnaader (KSA) held up the Saudi Arabian honour with a strong fourth under Abdullah Alawfi.
Gr.1 Del Mar Futurity winning-son of Twirling Candy, beat Sekifu by half a length, posting a final time of 1:38.12 for the 1600m.
“That was exciting. I thought that would be a great spot for him. Taking him and Country Grammer over there all that way and for him to run well, I’m very proud of him and happy for my team,” said Baffert of Pinehurst and Country Grammar, who finished runner up in the Gr.1 Saudi Cup later that evening.
"It’s exciting to win after coming up short a couple of times over there. I hate when they show that 100m line on the screen because I’ve lost so much money in that last 100m at that track the past two years, but we got it done today. I think I carried him the last 100m,” he said.
Baffert hopes to aim Pinehurst at the UAE Derby in Dubai next.