OZONE PARK, N.Y. — Live coverage of the Saudi Cup airs Saturday, February 20 at noon Eastern on FS1. The field for the Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race with a $20 million purse, is headlined by 2020 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile-winner Knicks Go and will feature a multitude of standout runners from around the world.
The Saudi Cup, to be contested at nine furlongs at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will offer a prize of $10 million to the winner.
FOX Sports is the exclusive broadcast provider of the Saudi Cup in the United States, where the ‘Golden Hour’ telecast will air from noon-1 p.m., Eastern on FS1, with limited commercial interruption made possible by Runhappy. Hosted by Nick Luck and Michelle Yu with the race call to be provided by Travis Stone, the international broadcast will originate from King Abdulaziz Racetrack with analysis from Tom Stanley, Hayley Moore and Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens. Laffit Pincay III will provide stateside updates live from Aqueduct Racetrack.
Scheduled post time for the Saudi Cup is 12:40 p.m. Eastern and wagering is available in the United States via NYRA Bets.
Knicks Go, trained by Brad Cox for Korea Racing Authority, enters the Saudi Cup off a successful seasonal debut in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on January 23 at Gulfstream Park. Joel Rosario has the call aboard Knicks Go.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will saddle Charlatan, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu on December 26 at Santa Anita Park. The 4-year-old Speightstown chestnut will be piloted by Hall of Famer Mike Smith.
Juddmonte Farms’ regally-bred Tacitus, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, will look to improve on his fifth-place finish in last year’s inaugural edition of the Saudi Cup. The 2019 Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets winner is by Tapit and out of the 2014 Champion Older Mare Close Hatches. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will take the reins aboard Tacitus.
International stars in the Saudi Cup field include Mishriff, winner of the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club and Chuwa Wizard, who was named Japan’s best dirt horse of 2020.
The Saudi Cup undercard will air live from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on FS2 and feature six stakes races including the $1 million Turf Sprint, $2.5 million Turf Handicap, $1 million Local Handicap, $2 million Arabian Classic, $1.5 million Saudi Derby, and the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint. Undercard coverage is presented by Runhappy.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Cowan, runner-up in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, in the one-mile Saudi Derby; while Call the Wind will look to repeat in the $2.5 million Red Sea Turf Handicap at 1 7/8-miles.
Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
To sign up for NYRA Bets today, visit www.NYRABets.com.
Press Release
Photo; Nikki Samolovitch
