Odds & Ends: U.S. Saudi Cup TV Coverage; Prat Hits 1,000 Wins; Spa Summer Schedule Released
By US Racing Team
How to Watch the Saudi Cup?
The $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will be live-streamed by US Racing and televised live by FS1 on Saturday.
What Time is the Saudi Cup Post-Time?
Post time for the Saudi Cup, the eighth and final race on the $30.5 million card, is set for 12:40 p.m. ET – that’s 11:40 a.m. CT, 10:40 a.m. MT, and 9:40 a.m. PT. Live coverage begins at noon ET.
The undercard will air on FS2 from 8:30 a.m. to noon ET 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 $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint.
Saudi Cup Favorites
The second running of the Saudi Cup features U.S.-based Charlatan and Knicks Go in a field of 14 going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. The winner earns $10 million.
FOX Sports is the exclusive broadcast provider of the Saudi Cup in the United States. Watch Live on US Racing HERE
Frenchman Prat Hits 1,000 Victories
Frenchman Flavien Prat, Santa Anita’s reigning winter/spring meet champion jockey, posted win No. 1,000 in North America of Friday aboard Clockstrikestwelve in a 6½-furlong starter allowance for fillies and mares.
In a span of about six years, Prat has won 11 Southern California riding titles.
Prat, 28, is the son of a trainer and won the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) with Country House, who was elevated to first from second with the disqualification of first-place finisher Maximum Security. Heading into weekend, Prat is atop the Santa Anita riding stands with 32 wins.
“It means a lot, it’s a big achievement,” said Prat. “I wasn’t dreaming of that when I came here to be honest with you and I didn’t think it would happen so quickly. It felt like yesterday that I got here and started riding.’’
First BC Classic automatic berth on the line in Japan
The first automatic berth into the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) is on the line Sunday in the $1.84 million February Stakes (G1) on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse.
The 1-mile race, part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, features Red le Zele and Cafe Pharoah in a field of 16.
The BC Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup, set for Del Mar on Nov. 5-6.
The February Stakes is the first Group 1 in Japan this year.
Red le Zele, a 5-year-old son of Lord Kanaloa trained by Takayuki Yasuda, has won two of his last three races. In his most recent start on Jan. 31, Red le Zele surged to the lead in the final furlong to win the 7-furlong Negishi Stakes (G3) at Tokyo.
A winner of eight of 16 starts, Red le Zele closed out 2020 with a win in the 7-furlong Muromachi Stakes (G3) at Kyoto on Oct. 24 and followed that effort with a second-place finish by a neck in the 6-furlong Capella Stakes (G3) at Nakayama on Dec. 13.
Making his 4-year-old debut, Cafe Pharoah, trained by Noriyuki Hori, won twice at 1-mile over the Tokyo track last year, taking the two Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying races, the listed Hyacinth Stakes and the Unicorn Stakes (G3). Bred in Kentucky by the late Paul Pompa Jr., Cafe Pharoah is a bay son of 2015 Triple Crown and BC Classic winner American Pharoah.
Saratoga meet (July 15-Sept. 6): 76 stakes worth $21.5 million
The New York Racing Association released its schedule for the Saratoga summer meet, the most prestigious in race, that will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million.
As usual, the meet is highlighted by the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) on Aug. 28. Also, the $1 million Whitney (G1) is set for Aug. 7.
A few changes have been made: the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and the $600,000 Flower Bowl (G1) will now be run at the Spa rather than during the fall meet at Belmont Park.
In addition to the 152nd running of the Travers, others stakes on the card include the following Grade 1’s: the $750,000 Sword Dancer; $600,000 Personal Ensign; $500,000 Ballerina; $600,000 Forego; and the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Flower Bowl are scheduled for Sept. 4, replacing the Woodward Stakes (G1) and the Waya, now scheduled for Belmont Park.
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced that live sports and entertainment venues with a minimum reserved seating capacity of 10,000 will be permitted to re-open to a limited number of spectators beginning on Feb. 23 with approval from the New York State Department of Health. All attendees must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event and adhere to health and safety requirements, including mandatory facial coverings and s
