Gronkowski

King Abdulaziz Racetrack in the Saudi capital of Riyadh plays host to the $266,667 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (King's Cup) Saturday afternoon, a 10-furlong affair that will produce a handful of runners for the second running of the $20-million Saudi Cup in three weeks' time. Scars Are Cool (Malibu Moon) won three of his 13 starts in the colors of Sagamore Farm and fetched $175,000 from Saudi Arabian interests during the Horses of Racing Age section of the Fasig-Tipton July Sale last summer. The Florida-bred was well-beaten...

Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}), runner-up by a nose in last year's G1 Dubai World Cup, will have Ryan Moore in the saddle in his bid to go one better next Saturday at Meydan. Moore rode Gronkowski in his first two starts in Britain in the autumn of 2017, both defeats, but hasn't been aboard him since. Frankie Dettori, who partnered Gronkowski last out in an off-the-board finish in the Saudi Cup, rides GI Belmont S. winner Sir Winston (Awesome Again) in the World Cup. Oisin Murphy, who rode Gronkowski in last...

Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride Phoenix Thoroughbred and Khalid bin Mishref's Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}) in next Saturday's $20-million Saudi Cup and the Mar. 28 G1 Dubai World Cup, in which Gronkowski was runner-up last year by a nose. "It's an amazing ride to get," said Dettori. "I'm excited to ride him [in Saudi] for two reasons. First, he doesn't have to travel that far from Dubai and I think the track will suit him. It's probably the best dirt track I've ridden anywhere in my life. It's got...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The countdown to next year's inaugural Saudi Cup officially began Wednesday evening with a gala organized by the race's officials in the walking ring at the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds in Saratoga. The race, scheduled to be run next Feb. 29 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, will be run over 1800 meters of the dirt track and will be worth $20 million--making it the world's richest race. The field will have a maximum of 14 runners, with $10 million going to the winner. Hosted by television...