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| Staff Writer |
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Saudi Crown's racing career may have started later than expected, but he has made up for lost time. Trained by Brad Cox, he won his first start at Keeneland on 16th April by almost five lengths.
He went on to stretch out to two turns for the first time on 29th July in the Gr.2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, where he lost by a nose to Forte. However, he redeemed himself in his next race, the US$1 million Gr.1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on 23rd September, where he led every step of the way and won by half a length over Classic starter Dreamlike, earning Group One honours.
Now, FMQ Stables' Saudi Crown is preparing for his biggest challenge yet, the US$6 million Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Classic, and Cox is thrilled with his progress as the race draws nearer.
Saudi Crown, bred by China Horse Club in Kentucky, has an impressive record of three wins out of five career starts. The two losses were both incredibly close, with a nose separating him from victory in the Jim Dandy and the Gr.3 Dwyer Stakes to Fort Bragg in his most recent start. Saudi Crown is just a few inches away from being undefeated. According to trainer Brad Cox, "He's doing well physically and really training well since the Pennsylvania Derby, and I love his works since then.
He has every reason to improve. He's a lightly raced 3YO who is continuing to develop." In the absence of classic winners Mage and Arcangelo, Arabian Knight and Saudi Crown are the top 3YOs in the race and are expected to compete closely for the lead. Saudi Crown, starting from post 5 with Florent Geroux, should break fast and come out running. A victory on Saturday would put him in the conversation for the 3YOs championship and position him well for the US$20 million Gr.1 Saudi Cup in February, a race his owner, Faisal Mohammed Alqahtani of Saudi Arabia, covets. Saudi Crown was purchased for US$240,000 from Top Line Sales consignment and has earned US$817,085. He is the first American starter for FMQ Stables and the second foal and winner from the Tapit mare New Narration, who also has a yearling Yoshida filly and a 2YO Exaggerator colt named Truncator.