Michele MacDonald -
It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect prep race than the one engineered on January 20th by trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux for FMQ Stables’ Kentucky-bred Saudi Crown. After bounding along unchallenged for most of the 1700m trip, sublimely flashing more speed when asked in the upper stretch before then coasting home, Saudi Crown ran away with the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes, achieving a notable 105 Beyer Speed Figure yet appearing to save energy for his next date with destiny.
The $105,000 prize the son of Always Dreaming earned for his effort is proverbial peanuts compared to the $20 million purse he will be racing for in the Saudi Cup in Riyadh on February 24th, yet the flashy grey winner of last year’s Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby has to be deemed a serious contender. With Breeders’ Cup Classic victor White Abarrio also aimed at the Saudi Cup after defeating Saudi Crown by 12½ lengths over 2000m at Santa Anita last November, the latter has his work cut out for him. Undeniably, however, Saudi Crown possesses what is often the most valuable quality in racing, raw speed, especially in an 1800m contest like the Saudi Cup. “Big run.
Proud of him. We are excited about taking him to Riyadh,” Cox enthused in the Louisiana Stakes winner’s circle. “Hopefully he can build off this and we’ll have him even better the third week of February.” “Very impressive,” Geroux added. “That was a very nice (race) — exactly what we wanted and we needed.” Standing alongside Cox and Geroux during the trophy presentation was bloodstock agent Pedro Lanz, who acquired Saudi Crown on behalf of FMQ’s Faisal Mohammed Alqahtani for the modest price of $240,000 at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s April two-year-olds in training sale. Alqahtani’s desire, as he states on FMQ’s X account, is no less than “to be the No.1 in Thoroughbred racing.” He is certainly off to a blazing start, with both 2023 Saudi Derby victor Commissioner King, another American-bred, and Saudi Crown, who so far has banked $982,085 while winning four of seven career starts, to his credit.
