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White Abarrio, the winner of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic, will be leading Team USA in the upcoming US$20-million Gr.1 Saudi Cup. The draw ceremony for the race took place in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, and White Abarrio drew the rail in a field of 14.
Trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr., the gray defeated Derma Sotogak in the Classic. This weekend's race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh will be White Abarrio's first start since the Classic.
After the draw, Dutrow said, “He had the two-hole last time, this can't be a problem. We've got the best rider, one of the best horses. It'll be fun. We'll be ready. He really takes my breath away every time I see him.”
“I'm shaking right now, I mean this is exciting stuff man–a US$20-million race, my mum's going crazy! I mean my dad used to run for US$10,000… we were so happy, now a US$20-million race, she just can't believe it.”
Bob Baffert, a Hall of Fame trainer, is yet to win the Saudi Cup. However, his runners have performed well in the past three years, each finishing second. Charlatan and Country Grammer were the runners-up in 2021, 2022, and 2023 consecutively.
This year, Baffert will be fielding GI Preakness S. winner, National Treasure, who will depart from gate seven. National Treasure won the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. against Senor Buscador at the end of January. Bob Baffert's assistant trainer, Jimmy Barnes, said that National Treasure is maturing with each race and loves the environment. Jockey Flavien Prat will take the reins.
Hoist the Gold and Saudi Crown, respectively, will leave from gates eight and five for the American Saudi Cup starters. Hoist The Gold, a Group Two winner, finished fourth in the Pegasus, and Saudi Crown, a GI Pennsylvania Derby winner, triumphed in the GIII Louisiana S. at Fair Grounds on Jan. 20. Dallas Stewart, the trainer of Hoist The Gold, said that the number eight is the same number that Winning Colors had when she won the GI Kentucky Derby in 1988. He added that Hoist the Gold travels well and looks terrific, and he is handling the track nicely.
Derma Sotogake, the winner of Gr.2 UAE Derby last year, suffered a minor injury to his eye during the flight to Saudi Arabia. However, the colt appears to have healed, and connections have decided to run him in the Saudi Cup.
“We didn't see how it happened on the plane,” said trainer Hidetaka Otonashi to the publication. “He's recovered from the injury and was galloping very well, so we've decided to go ahead.”
Four more Japanese horses have been added to the list of runners in the Saudi Cup, including Ushba Tesoro, who competed in the Breeders' Cup Classic alongside White Abarrio. The 7YO stallion has already won the 2023 Gr.1 Dubai World Cup and his second Gr.1 Tokyo Daishoten at Oi on 29th Dec. Lemon Pop, Crown Pride, and Meisho Hario from stall 12 are other Japanese horses in the race.
Defunded, who won the GI Awesome Again S. and GI Hollywood Gold Cup S., was previously raced in America from the Baffert barn. He now exits stall nine for new connections. The other contenders from Saudi Arabia are Power in Numbers, who has a record of 4-0 at Riyadh, and Carmel Road. Emblem Road, who is also a Quality Road's offspring, won the 2022 edition of the Saudi Cup. They will leave from stalls 10 and 14, respectively.
Isolate from the UAE is riding a two-race winning streak and is booked in stall two. The full field is listed in post position order.
The Saudi Cup-G1, US$20,000,000, 4yo/up, 1800m
1-White Abarrio (Race Day)
2-Isolate (Mark Valeski)
3-Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid)
4-Senor Buscador (Mineshaft)
5-Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming)
6-Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach The Crown {Jpn})
7-National Treasure (Quality Road)
8-Hoist The Gold (Mineshaft)
9-Defunded (Dialed In)
10-Power In Numbers (Girvin)
11-Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn})
12-Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro)
13-Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits)
14-Carmel Road (Quality Road)