The seventh working of the $20 million Saudi Cup shall be held Feb. 14 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Japanese and US champion Eternally Younger the headliner in a deep and gifted area for a race that anchors a strong card.
The cardboard additionally options the $1.5 million Saudi Derby, which is a part of the Euro/Mideast Highway to the Kentucky Derby’s 10-race schedule and grants 63 factors to the highest 5 finishers on a (30-15-9-6-3) scale, amongst 9 races price $35.5 million.
North American-trained runners may even have a giant say within the end result of the $2 million Riyadh Dust Dash at about six furlongs (1,200 meters) and the $2 million 1351 Turf Dash at about 6 ¾ furlongs (1,351 meters), whereas the $3 million Neom Turf Cup at about 1 5/16 miles (2,100 meters) boasts vital European and Japanese expertise. The Saudi Cup plus undercard races shall be broadcast reside on FOX Sports activities as a part of an expanded “America’s Day on the Races” present. Let’s check out the important thing runners to know in these 5 stakes races.
Within the six editions of the Saudi Derby (Race 4, 9 am ET) since its inception in 2020, 4 US-bred runners and two Japan-bred runners have gained the race with three winners conditioned by Japanese trainers and one coming from a US barn. Jerome Stakes winner My Worlda winner of three straight for coach Brad Cox, leads the US contingent, which additionally contains Grade 3 winner Obliteration (skilled by Steve Asmussen), San Vicente Stakes third-place finisher Acknowledgemeplz (Doug O’Neill), and Avenue Sense Stakes third-place finisher Very Linked (Ken McPeek).
Japan’s Saudi Derby entrants embody Satono Voyagethe possible favourite coming off three straight gorgeous in Japan, together with the Cattleya Stakes by 1 ½ lengths at this distance for coach Hiroyasu Tanaka. Japan’s Greatest Inexperienced opened his profession with 4 straight wins and enters off a third-place end within the Zen Nippon Nisai Yushun for coach Junji Tanaka. Each the Cattleya and Zen Nippon Nisai Yushun and a part of the Japan Highway to the Kentucky Derby.
The final 5 editions of the Riyadh Dust Dash (Race 5, 9:40 am ET) have been gained by US- or Japan-based runners, together with Straight No Chaser final February. Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert’s Creativenessrunner-up within the 2025 Cygames Breeders’ Cup Dash, leads a formidable group from the states that additionally contains Grade 1 winner Lovesick Blues (Librado Barocio) and Simply Beat the Odds (Greg Sacco), winner of the Grade 3 Elite Energy Stakes in December. The winner of the Riyadh Dust Dash receives a “Win and You are In” berth to this fall’s Cygames Dash at Keeneland.
Yamanin Cerchi (Naoya Nakamura) closed out 2025 on a roll in Japan with three wins and a second within the Group 3 Capella Stakes in his final 4 races, all stakes. American Stage (Yoshito Yahagi) completed fourth within the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Dash however is winless in his final 5 begins.
No US-based runner has gained the 1351 Turf Dash (Race 6, 10:25 am ET) however graded stakes winners Reef Runner (David Fawkes) and Time to Dazzle (Mark Casse) together with 2025 Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes runner-up Zio Jo (Doug O’Neill) will attempt to change that Saturday.
Count on Lazzat (Jerome Reynier), winner of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in June 2025 at Royal Ascot, to be a heavy favourite, however Japan-based Group 1 winner Panja Tower (Shinsuke Hashiguchi) additionally looms a giant menace.
An enormous title to know within the Neom Turf Cup (Race 7, 11:10 am ET) is final 12 months’s returning winner Shin Emperorwho boasts the identical connections as Eternally Younger. He’s skilled by Yoshito Yahagi for proprietor Susumu Fujita and shall be ridden by Ryusei Sakai. Shin Emperor will want a pointy reversal in kind, nevertheless, to repeat within the race as he is been unplaced and crushed by no less than 6 ½ lengths in his final 4 begins. A number of group stakes winner Royal Champion (Karl Burke) and Alohi Alii (Hiroyasu Tanaka), a Group 2 winner in France final August for Japanese connections, may play the position of spoiler.
The marquee race on the cardboard, the 1 1/8-mile (1,800 meters) Saudi Cup (Race 9, 12:40 pm ET)shall be televised on FS1. All eyes shall be on Eternally Younger (Yoshito Yahagi) in his first begin since successful a robust version of the Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic Nov. 1 at Del Mar that earned him champion older grime male honors on the Eclipse Awards in January. Eternally Younger has excelled on this fundamental observe at King Abdulaziz Racetrack with wins within the 2024 Saudi Derby and final 12 months’s Saudi Cup. If he can repeat within the Saudi Cup, Eternally Younger will safe a “Win and You are In” berth for a repeat bid within the Longines Basic Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
Eternally Younger will face an achieved North American forged of runners within the Saudi Cup led by Bob Baffert’s Grade 1 winners Nysos and Nevada SeasideNysos gained the Breeders’ Cup Dust Mile and Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes in his final two begins. Nevada Seaside was second by a head to Nysos within the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes.
Different stateside contenders embody Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap winner Bishops Bay (Brad Cox), a number of graded stakes winner Banishing (David Jacobson), and Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll (Ken McPeek), who was fifth within the 2025 Saudi Cup.
