Entry to the Saudi Cup 2023 is confirmed, with 13 horses vying for the world’s richest horse race, the $10 million prize money. The bet sees the Bob Baffert-trained Taiba looking to give the barns the first winner in this high-income contest.
The Saudi Cup takes place on Saturday, February 25th at 12:35pm ET.
Bob Baffert Takes First Two Wins in Saudi Cup Betting 2022 Winner’s Emblem Road Is Back and Frankie Dettori Returns to Ride Country Glamor Saudi Cup Head-to-Head Runners Guide
Trainer Bob Baffert Has First Two In Saudi Cup Betting
Bob Baffert Byrne has a strong hand in Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup, with Taibah and Country Glamour looking to be the first and second favorites in this bet.
Taiba did well in the RUNHAPPY Malibu Stakes on Boxing Day (see video below), and prior to that he finished 3rd for Flightline at the Breeders’ Cup Classic in Keeneland.
He won’t meet a horse of Flightline ability on Saturday and as a result, no top US horse racing sportsbook is likely to win Taiba as the clear favorite for the 2023 Saudi Cup.
2022 Saudi Cup Winner Emblem Road Bid To Defend Crown
Emblem Lord, last year’s surprise Saudi Cup winner, won the 2022 Saudi Cup and will be back to defend his crown on Saturday.
Since banking the $10 monster pot, Emblem Road has only raced twice. Last July at the Grand Prix de Vichy he finished fifth, but the last time he came back was in Riyadh (13 January 2023). He seems to love his track in the dirt and we can’t ignore his win last year.
did you know? All past Saudi Cup winners he was four years old.
Frankie Dettori rides country glamor at the 2023 Saudi Cup
The 2022 Dubai World Cup winner, country glamor will be riding Frankie Dettori, who recently rode the winners in Santa Anita. This will also be Dettori’s final season after announcing his retirement from the saddle last year. This is his farewell tour campaign.
Country Glamor also won the silver medal at the 2022 Saudi Cup, so that invaluable experience is very positive and another from Bob Baffert’s barn.
The 6-year-old has more than $11 million in prize money and is headed to race on Saturday after winning the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Boxing Day.
2023 Saudi Cup Runners: A Head-by-Head Guide
Here are the final entries for the 2023 Saudi Cup, including riders, trainers, draws and the latest betting odds from BetOnline (subject to change).
1. Cafe Pharaoh
Trainer: Noriyuki Hori Jockey: Joao Moreira Age: 6 Stalls: 13 Odds: 5/1
A Japanese Grade 1 winner who was last seen winning the Mile Championship Nanbu Trophy in October. He has raced missing breaks in the past, so his break at 138 is fine, but his stall wide at 13 is not ideal.
2. Country Glamor
Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Frankie Dettori Age: 6 Stalls: 10 Odds: 6/1
Riding (2 runs) by Frankie Dettori, who won the silver medal in last year’s race and is still undefeated on horseback. However, in Dubai 2022 he has been a very consistent performer, winning his World Cup and finishing in the top two in the last eight races. Draw 10 is not good (he drew 1 last year) so a Frankie masterclass may be needed. Regardless, he’s a big player in a huge stable and a shakeup is expected.
3. Crown Pride
Trainer: Koichi Shintani Jockey: Damien Lane Age: 4 Yatai: 3 Odds: 10/1
Another Japanese runner. His last appearance was in his G1 Champions Cup in Chukyo, in a match where he placed second, in another Saudi Cup match where his runner Jun He Wright lost to Bolt. This time he stalled at 3 and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him flip that run.
4. Emblem Road
Trainer: Mittal Almurawer Jockey: Alexis Moreno Age: 5 Stall: 8 Odds: 10/1
A surprise winner of last year’s Saudi Cup, he is back to defend his crown. After running only twice since the big success 12 months ago, I was back on the track to win here last month. Loves the dirt (5 to 5) and Riyadh he loves the track. It would be even more shocking if he could win again, but this surface and this course suggests that he can’t be ruled out.
5. Geoglyphs
Trainer: Tetsuya Kimura Jockey: Chrisophe Patrice Lemaire Age: 4 Base: 12 Odds: 20/1
Another entry from Japan, but we need a lot of answers as we were eliminated in the last G1 Hong Kong Cup. A wide draw at 12 also makes life difficult.
6. Jun Light Bolt
Trainer: Tomomichi Yasuo Jockey: Ryan Moore Age: 6 Stalls: 6 Odds: 8/1
Last time they defeated Crown Pride by a margin to win the G1 Champions Cup in Chukyo, Japan. Britain’s top jockey Ryan Moore’s ride was given a convenient stall at six. Holes have been hard to pick in his recent form, and he has three wins on spins, making him fresher than others in his 83 days off. There are certainly opportunities.
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7. Panthalassa
Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi Jockey: Yutaka Yoshida Age: 6 Stall: 1 Odds: 10/1
He ran off the field in 10th place in the recent Kong Hong Kong Cup and is now four races without a win. His last success came in March 2022 when he defeated Lord He North at Maidan’s Dubai His Turf. A decent stall at 1 would help, but since I haven’t stayed recently, the distance return would be a plus. This will be his first run on the dirt, but it’s not without a creak from Draw 1 once he’s on the surface.
8. Remora
Trainer: Bhupat Seemar Jockey: Tadhg O’Shea Age: 6 Stalls: 7 Odds: 30/1
I won the Meydan last December, but it was only a listed-level race. It was his third win in G2, but was beaten by 8 and 1/2 lengths and his only win in his last seven matches is a tall order. Also last season in Dubai he was just under five lengths behind country glamor at the World Cup.
9. Scotland Yard
Trainer: Mittal Almurawer Jockey: Viktor Gutierrez Age: 4 Stalls: 4 Odds: 20/1
A nice draw 4 came here from behind a very smooth 10 1/2 length win on this course. Classes up from that run, I needed more, but with less racing, I could certainly put more in the tank.
10. Daiba
Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Mike E. Smith Age: 4 Stalls: 2 Odds: 5/2
A predicted Saudi Cup favorite, it’s not hard to see why. In his fourth year, trained by Bob Baffert, he won his RUNHAPPY Malibu Stakes in Santa Anita very easily on his last start. Prior to that, the Breeders Cup He was a respectable third place behind Classic and Classy Flightline. A career he has yet to reach his bottom as he has made only seven appearances. Well he is drawn to 2 and all 3 previous Saudi Cup winners he was 4 years old. The one that everyone else has to beat.
11. Van de Garde
Trainer: Hideaki Fujiwara Jockey: Michael Barsalona Age: 7 Base: 9 Winning rate: 20/1
He finished close to third at the Dubai Turf last March, but hasn’t played since (265 days off). Therefore, his fitness must be trusted. A wider stall at 9 and this seven-year-old Japanese of his might find young legs passing him here.
12. Lagertha Lime
Trainer: Naif Armandir Jockey: Ricardo Ferreira Age: 5 Stalls: 11 Odds: 30/1
Eleven stalls and a recent form show this five-year-old filly is improving at this level. The good news is that she can get her 5 lb allowance from other mares, but even that is unlikely to be enough.
13. Sunset Flash
Trainer: Naif Almindeel Jockey: A Alsarhani Age: 7 Stalls: 5 Odds: 30/1
The second mare in the contest is another mare who gets the filly’s 5 lb allowance as well. Last day of the G3 race here, over 6f and below par. It might work better for longer distances, but it might be a little long for a 7-year-old tooth, and it would be a shocking winner, but last year she had one of them.
Note: Odds are subject to change
What time is the 2023 Saudi Cup?
📅 Time/Date: 12:35 PM ET (Saturday, February 25, 2023) 🏇 Racecourse: Riyadh 💰 Prize/Winner: $20 million ($10 million to winner) 📺 TV: NBC