FMQ Stables
Trainer Brad Cox confirmed that FMQ Stables' Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), a brave third in the G1 Saudi Cup after setting bruising fractions up front, has shipped to Dubai and has settled in at Meydan Raceourse. The $45,000 Keeneland January short-yearling turned $240,000 OBS April breezer holds an entry for the G1 Dubai World Cup, where he would face a rematch with the two horses that finished ahead of him last weekend--Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) and Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). But Cox aid that the tentatively target is the Mar....
Godolphin's First Mission (Street Sense) continued preparations for the Jan. 27 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational with a bullet five-furlong work in 1:00.00 (1/51) at Fair Grounds Saturday. "He's a great work horse," trainer Brad Cox said Sunday. "He's continued to do the same here at the Fair Grounds in preparing for the Pegasus. He looked fantastic this morning. We actually took him to the track today [jogging a mile Sunday] because we're due some cold weather in the next few days and we may miss a day of training....
The afternoon's graded stakes action at Parx kicked off most appropriately with the flashy grey Next (Not This Time) annexing the GIII Greenwood Cup S. and it didn't take long for the grey train to continue with Nobody Listen (Conveyance) taking the GIII Turf Monster S. With the remnants of Tropical storm Ophelia cranking, keeping the sky dark and the track murky, Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) completed the grey graded trifecta in the day's feature, the GI Pennsylvania Derby. Employing the same tactics used successfully earlier in the program over...
8th-Churchill Downs, $125,785, Alw, 5-21, (NW1X), 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:15.88, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. SAUDI CROWN (c, 3, Always Dreaming--New Narration, by Tapit) was sparkling in his debut Apr. 16 at Keeneland last month when he kicked away by 4 3/4 lengths. That contest included the winner of race seven Sunday afternoon, Briterdayzahead (Girvin), who was third. Looking to clear the next condition here, the 1-2 heavy favorite showed speed early and despite receiving pressure from Sweet Cherry Pie (Twirling Candy) into the far turn--the half was a brisk :45.01--the...
6th-Keeneland, $96,906, Msw, 4-16, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.01, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. SAUDI CROWN (c, 3, Always Dreaming--New Narration, by Tapit), let go at 5-1, chased pacesetting favorite Briterdayzahead (Girvin) while four wide through an opening quarter in :22.29. Some two lengths back following a half in :45.25, the gray colt reeled in the pacesetter with a furlong to run and strode clear with authority to win by 4 3/4 lengths. Wild Thinker (Lord Nelson) chased him home in second, while Briterdayzahead was third. Salde Callaghan purchased Saudi Crown for $45,000...