By Alan Carasso
A little less than five months after Emblem Road caused a massive upset in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup last February, agents for that horse's owner HRH Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz went shopping for another son of Quality Road at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. They landed on Scotland Yard, placed three times in maiden company from four starts for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm and Steve Asmussen and offered through the WinStar Racing consignment.
Acquired for $255,000 with a race like the Saudi Cup the long-term objective, Scotland Yard remained undefeated in three starts at King Abdulaziz Racetrack with a comprehensive victory in Saturday's $399,600 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (King's Cup), accorded listed black-type status for the first time.
Drawn wide in a field of 17, Scotland Yard broke alertly and raced handy to the pace while traveling in about the six path down the long backstretch in Riyadh. Allowed to improve his position and guided down to race three deep around the turn, Scotland Yard wrested command from fellow Fasig-Tipton HORA grad Electability (Quality Road) under little encouragement with more than a quarter-mile to race and put on a show down the lane, scoring by 10 1/4 lengths (see below, SC 16)). Electability plugged on for second ahead of 9-year-old mare La Casa Tarifa (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) in third. The final time for the mile and a quarter on a dry strip that rarely produces fast times was a crisp 2:04 flat. With the victory, Scotland Yard earns an automatic berth in the nine-furlong Saudi Cup Feb. 25.
Scotland Yard is a son of Leslie's Harmony (Curlin), a half-sister to four-time champion and 10-time Grade I winner Beholder (Henny Hughes), all-conquering sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) and GISW and promising young stallion Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy). Bridlewood Farm acquired Leslie's Harmony for $1.1 million out of the 2014 Keeneland September Sale and she is also the dam of the 3-year-old filly Union Harmony (Union Rags), a 2-year-old Tapit filly and a yearling filly by Uncle Mo. She is due to Not This Time for her 2023 foal. Scotland Road is the 67th stakes winner for his sire.
THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES CUP (King's Cup) (Saudi Cup Qualifier)-Listed, SAR1,500,000 ($399,600), King Abdulaziz, 1-28, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:04, ft.
1–SCOTLAND YARD, 127, c, 4, Quality Road–Leslie's Harmony,
by Curlin. ($300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $255,000 HRA '22
FTKHRA). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Prince Saud bin Salman
Abdulaziz; B-Bridlewood Farm (FL); T-M Almulawah; J-V
Gutierrez; SAR750,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-1, $343,934.
2–Electability, 127, g, 4, Quality Road–Spindle, by Hard Spun.
($300,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $330,000 HRA '22 FTKHRA).
O-King Abdullah bin A/Aziz Sons; B-Purple H Bloodstock (KY);
T-A Albadah; J-C Ospina; SAR300,000.
3–La Casa Tarifa (GB), 126, m, 9, Casamento (Ire)–Cool Tarifa
(Ire), by One Cool Cat. (£10,000 Ylg '15 DNPAUG; 16,000gns
HRA '17 TATNOV). O-Prince A/Aziz bin Fahd bin A/Aziz; B-;
T-N A Almindeel; J-Ah Alrashed; SAR225,000.
Margins: 10 1/4, 2 1/4, 2 1/4.
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