Litfin At Large: Saudi Cup Day

The second running of the Saudi Cup heads the stakes action Saturday, Feb. 20, as Charlatan (3) and Knicks Go (8) throw it down in the desert for $20 million at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh.

Saudi Cup (KAR, race 8, 12:40 ET):  The Saudi Cup airs on FS1 from noon to 1:00 p.m. ET, and presents a scenario where the two fastest horses in the race figure to soften themselves up in a prolonged dispute for the lead.

Tacitus (14), who ran fifth in the Saudi Cup's inaugural running, makes his first start since a respectable fourth-place finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He won the Suburban Stakes (G2) off a layoff of slightly more than two months and could have this race fall into his lap.

Sleepy Eyes Todd (13) has barnstormed through 10 states and comes off a rallying fourth in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).  

The other U.S.-based horse is Max Player (9), a deep closer who has been idle since running fifth in the Kentucky Derby Presented By Woodford Reserve (G1) and the Preakness Stakes (G1).

The key horse for me is Mishriff (11), who ran second in the one-mile Samba Saudi Derby Cup on Saudi Cup Day a year ago. The John Gosden-trained son of Make Believe went on to post three straight wins at Newmarket, Chantilly, and Deauville when stretched out in distance, and an off-the-board finish over boggy ground in the QIPCO Champions Stakes (G1) is forgivable. A beneficial draw toward the outside should minimize kickback.

A - 11

B - 3, 8, 14

C - 13

Back in the United States, severe weather has shuttered several tracks in the Midwest—most notably Oaklawn Park, which has lost its second straight weekend of racing. All the graded stakes will be run at Stronach-owned tracks: the Royal Delta Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park; the Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park; and the rescheduled "Winter Sprintfest" at Laurel Park, which has been brought back from last Saturday in its entirety with top billing shared by the Runhappy Barbara Fritchie Stakes (G3) and General George Stakes (G3).

Royal Delta Stakes (GP, race 11, 5:16 ET): An already short stretch becomes even shorter with the first finish line in use at 1 1/16 miles. I would ordinarily look to play devil's advocate with morning-line choice Mrs. Danvers (7), since she comes off a front-running win in the Comely Stakes (G3) when able to clear early, and now finds herself drawn outside her main rivals—Gibberish (2), Eres Tu (3) and Bajan Girl (6)—who all have early speed as well.

The Comely was a breakthrough performance for the gray daughter of Tapit , and while it took place almost three months ago that is construed as a plus because her trainer, Shug McGaughey, has been on a roll with layoff winners, including Sambacher off a 730-day absence and Talking Book off a 300-day hiatus during the past week or so.

Eres Tu was in mothballs for a year and a half, and the Malibu Moon  mare returned last fall to win three in a row for new trainer Arnaud Delacour, capped by the Allaire DuPont Stakes (G3) from just off the pace Dec. 26. She comes off two bullet workouts at Tampa Bay Downs.

A - 7

B - 3, 6

Buena Vista Stakes (SA, race 7, 6:46 ET): My interest in this one-mile grass race revolves around a negative view of morning-line favorite Charmaine's Mia (8), who returned from a layoff to win the Las Cienegas Stakes (G3T) at six furlongs and is accustomed to sprinting on turf. In addition to being questionable at the distance, she is coming off a lifetime top figure and has bounced off peak efforts several times previously.

I've got check marks next to a handful of contenders in this wide-open affair, and will lean on the duo of Mucho Unusual (2) and Red Lark (5). Other than a wide trip to oblivion in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), Mucho Unusual has posted Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or better in eight starts dating back to a second in the 2019 American Oaks (G1T). Red Lark rallied mildly to get fourth in the 2020 American Oaks off a short layoff and has a history of running well in the second race of her form cycle.

The backup team consists of the steady-going Warren's Showtime (3), the improving Nasty (4), and Going to Vegas (7), who comes off four consecutive runner-up finishes, the latest in the American Oaks.

A - 2, 5

B - 3, 4, 7

Barbara Fritchie Stakes (Lrl, race 7, 3:46 ET): To recall from last week's column, we're taking a couple price shots here with Club Car (2) and Estilo Talentoso (4), hoping Dontletsweetfoolya (3) and Hello Beautiful (8) cancel each other out up front.

A - 2, 4

B - 3, 8

General George Stakes (Lrl, race 8, 4:19 ET): An extra week between starts benefits Share the Ride (6), who was compromised by a wide trip behind a slow pace in the Jan. 30 Toboggan Stakes (G3).

Laki (1) and Funny Guy (2), beaten a collective 13 times as the favorite since June 2019, are on backup tickets along with Lebda (3), who may grab the early lead stretching out for his third start following a freshening.

A - 6

B - 1, 2, 3