Waves of pride and emotion pulsed through King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday evening as unheralded local runner Emblem Road (USA)(Quality Road – Venturini by Bernardini) snatched the richest race ever staged, the US $20 million Group 1 The Saudi Cup.
A deafening crescendo climaxed in joy and near disbelief as jockey Wigberto Ramos coaxed Emblem Road down the centre of the track for a half-length margin from USA challengers Country Grammar (USA) (Tonalist) and Midnight Bourbon (USA). The colt was 113-to-1 in the North American wagering pools.
For Saudi Arabian racing, this was an extraordinary result. Emblem Road, a four-year-old American-bred son of Quality Road, had only raced in Saudi Arabia, where he was taking his record to eight wins from 11 starts. He was prepared by trainer Mitab Almulawah and carried the white and blue silks of Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz.
This was a race packed with Group 1 champions and there was no element of fluke. Searing early fractions were set by Secret Ambition (GB) and Art Collector (USA). Close-up in the run were last year’s Mishriff (IRE), caught wide, and Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun (USA). But one by one the challengers melted away. The Japanese star TO Keynes (JPN) could not add to the incredible haul by his compatriots earlier in the evening.
All the while, Panamanian-born rider Ramos stalked the pace in midfield, but with cover, before scything down the brave Country Grammar inside the final 50m to cue one of the greatest shocks – and celebrations – ever seen in Saudi racing. The winning time was 1:50.52.
EMBLEM ROAD was bred by Brian Moore’s Brushy Hill, LLC in Kentucky. The colt’s dam, Venturini, has had one other foal to race and that is Ontario-bred Kunal, who was third in the 2019 Cup and Saucer Stakes. Kunal, raced by Bruno Schickedanz and trained by Steve Chircop, landed in low claiming races in 2020 and set the pace in the Breeders’ Stakes that year, fading to last place.
Second dam Ventura won the Woodbine Mile for Juddmonte Farm.
Quotes:
Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia: “Wow. To have a locally trained horse perform that way is very emotional. I’m very happy for the connections, and I’m happy for Saudi Arabia. I think Mishriff, a Saudi Arabian-owned horse [the 2021 The Saudi Cup winner], did amazing things to spread the love of horses. And to have a locally-trained horse win it [The Saudi Cup] is extremely special, and I’m really excited about what this means for the future of horse racing in Saudi Arabia.”
Hisham Wahed, stable representative, Emblem Road, 1st: “Emblem Road had trained really well and I thought that he was going better than Making Miracles. Keeping The Saudi Cup here in the Kingdom – that is the best thing, it is a great feeling. All the people here are happy that we keep it in Saudi Arabia.”
Wigberto Ramos, jockey, Emblem Road, 1st: “My horse ran a great race and I broke good and my horse was very strong. He wanted to go early, but I took my time with him and took a little hold and saw another horse, so then I just waited for the 500m to ask him. The key on this track is that you have to be near the front when you pass the 800m. If you’re near, you are in a good position and outside is the best part of the track. It’s a big turn, so when you put a horse who comes from behind all the way on the outside, they finish a lot better. I knew that I could do it, but now that I’ve done it, I still don’t believe it. I beat so many good horses and this is the biggest race in the world. I think he could go on to the Dubai World Cup. He’s the kind of horse who can do it.”
Flavien Prat, jockey, Country Grammer, 2nd: “He ran great. When I pulled away I thought I was going to win, I thought it was going to be enough and that my horse was doing the hardest, but the winner was just too good and finished harder.”
Joel Rosario, jockey, Midnight Bourbon, 3rd: “I thought he ran really well; it was probably a little bit different with him but he showed heart, he did great.”
This year’s renewal of the US $1,500,000 The Saudi Derby presented by Al Rajhi Bank featured a multi-continental challenge dominated by American speed in the shape of the fast-breaking Pinehurst (USA).
An inaugural riding experience for USA-based Frenchman Flavien Prat turned into a resounding success when timing it to perfection on the Bob Baffert trainee. Prat continued a remarkable streak for French jockeys on the night.
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), who was gaining on Pinehurst with every stride under Cristian Demuro to pass the line half a length adrift.
Unbeaten Consigliere (JPN) was part of the early pace before taking a breather and coming back with renewed vigour, guided by man-of-the-moment Christophe Lemaire for trainer Yukio Inagaki in third.
An imposing son of Twirling Candy- Giant Win by Giant’s Causeway, Pinehurst was able to hold off the cavalry by half a length, posting a final time of 1:38.12 for the 1600m. Gaining his first victory as a three-year-old, the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity winner sported the Starlight Racing colours, and is owned in partnership with SF Racing LLC and Madaket Stables.
Pinehurst was bred by Toronto’s John Fielding and Kentucky-based Fred Hertrich. The colt was a $180,000 Keeneland November weanling and a $385,000 Keeneland September yearling.
Quotes:
Bob Baffert, trainer, Pinehurst, 1st: “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.
“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.
“I think he could stretch out next. He’s a horse who went through a lull and we had to back off him a bit, but when we brought them back, he ran a great race [in the Grade 2 San Vicente] last time. He’s tough and strong and I thought he was the kind of horse who could handle this kind of trip and that kind of track. He has a lot of quality and we haven’t seen the best yet of him. I think he will go to Dubai for the UAE Derby after this.””
Jimmy Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, Pinehurst: “He is all speed. He was very good at the gate and did what he needed to do. He got a clean break and if you are going to beat us, you have to pass us, and he was able to stay in the lead the whole way. They [the Japanese] were coming again; well, they had enough for the day, so spread it around! Luckily he had enough heart and stamina to hold off the Japanese.
“This was our expectation. We came over here with a serious horse and he seemed to handle everything well – the shipping, the paddock, the van to come over for the race, the gate. Well, he left the gate running. I couldn’t be happier.”
Flavien Prat, jockey, Pinehurst: “He is a very good horse. We broke well and I was cruising all the way around and he responded very well when it was time to move. The track is really safe and I can only say good things about the track. It is my first time here and the whole thing has been a great experience and it means a lot to win that race.”
Other winners:
SONGLINE (JPN) – Turf Sprint, 6 3/4 furlongs, turf. 4yo filly by Kizuna (Jpn) – Luminous Parade (Jpn) by Symboli Kris S
Owner: Sunday Racing. Trainer: Toru Hayashi. Jockeyy: Christophe Lemaire
9-4-2-1 $2,187,655
AUTHORITY (JPN) – Neom Turf Cup Stakes, 1 5/16 miles, turf. 5yo horse Ofevre (Jpn) – Rosalind (Jpn) by Symboli Kris S
Owner Silk Racing. Trainer Kimura Tetsuya. Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
12-6-2-1 $4,226,374
It was a great start to the day for Japan when the Neom Turf Cup, presented by Jahez, (G3) went to AUTHORITY.
More from Canadian Thoroughbred:
