Defending champion Eternally Younger headlines a powerful subject of Japanese and American stars for the seventh version of the $20 million event. saudi cup February 14th, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Eternally Younger was final seen Nov. 1 on the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional at Del Mar, the race the place he gained the Eclipse Award because the 2025 Older Grime Stallion Champion.
The Saudi Jockey Membership’s predictions for the Cup, introduced on January 30, embrace six American horses from Bob Baffert’s steady, together with final yr’s Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile winner Nythos and Goodwood Stakes winner Nevada Seashore.
Additionally anticipated are Magnitude, skilled by Steve Asmussen, who defeated 2025 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Present by half a size within the Clark Stakes hosted by Norton Healthcare on November 28, Rattle N Roll, who will reappear below coach Kenny McPeak after ending fifth in 2025, Vanishing, who was sixth within the current Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, and Bishop’s Bay, winner of the Cigar Mile Handicap in December. can also be anticipated.
Bishop’s Bay was bought for $1.3 million by Pedro Lantz on behalf of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Sands on the Keeneland November Racing-Age Sale and can run in his KAS steady colours. Rattle N Roll additionally has Saudi connections.
Eternally Younger will likely be aiming to turn out to be the primary Saudi Cup double champion after cornering Hong Kong-based Romantic Warriors in a dramatic conclusion to the 2025 version. He’ll be part of the Japanese squad from Luxor Café, the place he completed twelfth.th He’ll compete within the 2025 Kentucky Derby hosted by Woodford Reserve and Dawn Zipangu.
On January 22, Eternally Younger was acknowledged by Eclipse Award voters because the 2025 Champion Older Grime Stallion, based mostly on his whole marketing campaign, which included the aforementioned Longines Traditional with just one begin in the US. The Saudi Cup gives a “win-win berth” to this yr’s Longines Traditional, which will likely be held at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
After the announcement, Bob Baffert mentioned he could be collaborating in a Saudi Cup race in particular person for the primary time in a number of years and would finally wish to trip a winner after ending second in three of his first six begins.
“I misplaced some huge cash with 200 meters left in that race,” Baffert mentioned.
The 2021 Charlatan and 2022 Nation Grammar have been caught up late within the 1,800-meter (roughly 1 1/8-mile) occasion. In 2023, Nation Grammar surged within the final 200 meters however fell brief once more.
$1.5 million saudi derby The undercard on February 14th will likely be stuffed with American opponents anticipated to incorporate Jerome Stakes winner My World, Sanford Stakes winner Obliteration, Acknowledge Meples, and Very Related. They usually might all should catch Al Haram, who gained the 2000 Guineas in Saudi Arabia by greater than seven lengths.
Japan’s Derby candidates are Finest Inexperienced, Keiaiagito, Satono Voyage, Tokaima Sherry, and Marvel Dean. The nation’s 3-year-olds are at all times harmful on this race, and in 2024 Eternally Younger beat Bookendanno to win.
Satono Voyage, out of Into Mischief, has gained three straight races, together with the Cattleya Stakes, the primary race on the Japan Street to the Kentucky Derby. The perfect inexperienced was the second spherical of All Japan 2-year-old Yushun, who got here in third place. The pair, who presently sit third and fourth on the Japanese leaderboard, have deserted the four-race collection and brought the desert street to Louisville, Kentucky, simply as Eternally Younger did two years in the past.
The Saudi Derby will likely be added to the Euro/Center East street from Churchill Downs to the Kentucky Derby, with 20 factors awarded to the winner. Nevertheless, the collection winner will virtually definitely be determined on the UAE derby in Dubai on March twenty eighth.
Baffert mentioned he additionally has excessive expectations for Creativeness’s $2 million alternative. Riyadh Grime Dashone other undercard occasion. Creativeness, who completed second within the final race, the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Dash, is predicted to tackle American rivals Lovesick Blues and Simply Beat the Odds within the 1,200 meter (about six furlong) sprint.
“We simply should get there first,” Baffert mentioned.
The Grime Dash competitors will likely be towards Hong Kong’s Self Enchancment and Japan’s high 4 groups, so it will not be simple for any workforce.
