Riyadh

Stop me if you've heard this one before. Japanese-trained runners dominated the Saudi Cup meeting, landing the big race itself and a clean sweep of the turf races, while peppering results elsewhere on the card with placed finishers.  A little sprinkling of European spice was added to the mix in the French breeding of the G2 Howden Neom Turf Cup winner Shin Emperor (Fr), whose heritage is shared by Christophe Lemaire, rider of the G2 1351 Turf Sprint winner Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) but now just as much a son of...

RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA -- Making his first appearance in the International Jockeys' Challenge on the eve of the Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, journeyman jockey Muhammad Aldaham became the first homegrown rider to take out the competition, amassing a total of 30 points with victories in the first two legs of the series. Australia's Rachel King finished on 25 points to finish second ahead of James McDonald, whose 21 points was achieved in three races, owing to the scratching of his ride in race three of...

When Iowa-bred Cyclone State (McKinzie) breaks out of the starting gate for Saturday's $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby, part of the Saudi Cup undercard at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, odds are that the loudest cheers will be emanating from halfway across the world at the Iowa State University (ISU) Equine Farm. That is where the colt, bred by Allen Poindexter, was born on April 29, 2022. It's an evening foaling that Nikki Ferwerda, a faculty member of the ISU Animal Science department and manager of the university's equine facilities, still...

On his way home from the races last week, Jamie Insole reflected on a good day for his stable following a 13-length win for Tommy The Tank (Ire) over hurdles and two promising runs for three-year-old fillies at Southwell. This is the nature of the training partnership he shares with Dr Richard Newland: jumps here, Flat there, and all the while a growing number of horses at their Urloxhey Stables in Worcestershire. From that rural idyll on Sunday left Witness Stand (GB) (Expert Eye {Ire}), a new recruit to their...

My Racehorse's newly crowned Eclipse champion sprinter Straight No Chaser (Speightster) breezed five furlongs in :59 flat (3/98) over the Santa Anita main track Sunday morning and is set to board the first of two flights Tuesday which will carry him to Saudi Arabia for the $2-million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1200m) on Feb. 22. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the return call. "We gave him a little company just to kind of get him to relax and settle off a horse and he did it really nicely and...

In one of the most intriguing international clashes of the year, Hong Kong Horse of the Year and recent G1 Jebel Hatta hero Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and 2024 G1 Dubai World Cup victor Laurel River (Into Mischief) will likely face off in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 22. Joining them will be Japanese Group 1 winner Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), who won the G3 Saudi Derby alongside placed runs in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders'...

He is 22 months into a two-year contract to train privately in Saudi Arabia for Prince Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud, a move that rejuvenated his career, but Jimmy Jerkens said he is ready to come home. Jerkens told the TDN that when his contract expires in March he will return to U.S. and resume his career at the NYRA tracks. It's not that Jerkens hasn't done well in Saudi Arabia. He's had 21 winners during his time there. And it's not that he doesn't have any quality horses. "We've...

Recently-crowned Longines World's Best Jockey James McDonald has been confirmed in the line-up for the 2025 International Jockeys' Challenge (IJC) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Friday, February 21. It will mark the first time the globetrotting New Zealander, who has ridden 106 Group 1 winners in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Britain and Japan, has competed in Saudi Arabia. McDonald's participation in the IJC will also give him valuable experience of the Riyadh track, the day before bidding for glory aboard Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation...

The two-day $38.1-million Saudi Cup meeting nominations at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Feb. 21-22 were released by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia on Friday. A total of 81 Grade/Group 1 winners are among the 1,123 entries from 21 countries that have stepped up, with Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) throwing his hat in the ring for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup. (Click here for an in depth dive into the nominations for the Saudi Cup, G3 Saudi Derby, and G2 Riyadh...

Last seen finishing an even fifth behind 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) in the GII Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct on Dec. 7, Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno (Bucchero) has emerged from the effort none the worse for wear and has arrived at trainer Derek Ryan's winter base at Tampa Bay Downs, the partnership's Jay Briscione said Wednesday. "He came out of it good," Briscione said. "I think we were planning on backing off a little bit. We gave him a complete exam and, knock on wood, he's good....

Just before the gate load in Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse, if you were an American race fan scouring the circling field looking for the customary light blue and neon green standard carried by Joe Peacock Jr.'s homebred MGSW Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), then you might have been left wondering. The banner wasn't there. That's because jockey Junior Alvarado was sporting royal blue and white aboard the eventual winner. Despite reporting by several Middle Eastern news outlets--namely Arab News and the Saudi Gazette--which either listed Peacock secondarily...

TOWER OF LONDON (IRE) (c, 4, Galileo {Ire}-Dialafara {Fr}, by Anabaa) gave the Coolmore partners a dramatic, last stride victory under a quality Ryan Moore ride in the 3000-metre $2.5-million G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday. It was Moore's 18th ride and first win at the fledgling meeting, and trainer Aidan O'Brien's third runner and first winner, as well. Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who finished second in the 2023 edition, filled that spot again, a head off of the winner. The listed winner blew...