Japanese Horses Sweep Saudi Turf Races

The sun was setting behind the King Abdulaziz grandstand in Riyadh but it was the Land of the Rising Sun that was triumphant in the rich turf races that opened the Feb. 26 Saudi Cup program.

Japanese horses, all ridden by Christophe Lemaire, showed them how it's done in sweeping the three grass races, from sprint to marathon, in a tight finish and in romps.

"Unbelievable," Lemaire said, returning after posting the triple.

For American runners, the result was the polar opposite.

Channel Cat   fell at the top of the stretch in the opening event, the Neom Turf Cup Presented by Jahez (G3). Jockey Joel Rosario was bruised but fit to continue riding and Channel Cat jumped up and galloped riderless through the stretch. In the next race, Casa Creed  came up just a few strides short of catching the winner.

Authority was no surprise, leading the Japanese romp as the winner of the Neom Turf Cup. The 5-year-old son of Orfevre  was last seen finishing second behind the highly regarded Contrail in the Japan Cup (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse Nov. 18. What was a bit surprising was his ability to seize and hold an uncontested lead in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) event.

With only minimal pressure through the race, Authority had plenty left in the final furlongs and won by 1 1/4 lengths from Kaspar . Ebaiyra  was third.

"He was definitely the best horse in the race," Lemaire said. "He made the pace easily and I knew he could stay the trip. There was no contest."

Trainer Tetsuya Kimura indicated Authority's job is not done.

"The horse likes the left-handed course," Kimura said. "After the Japan Cup, it was decided to come here and then go on to Dubai."

Tokyo Racecourse, King Abdulaziz and Meydan in Dubai all race left-handed.

Lemaire took a different approach aboard Songline in the 1351 Turf Sprint Presented by stc (G3), allowing the 4-year-old Kizuna  filly to draft behind the lead pack well into the long stretch run. When asked, she worked to the lead inside the 100-meter mark and just held on, defeating Casa Creed and jockey Luis Saez by a neck with Happy Romance  a close third.

"We had a good trip," he said. "She used her turn of foot to get to the lead and at the end, she held on."

Songline, trained by Horu Hayshi, had only two wins from her previous six starts, all in Japan, peaking with a win in the Fuji Stakes (G2) at Tokyo in October. In her 2021 finale, she finished 15th as the favorite in the Hanshin Cup (G2) Dec. 25.

Naval Crown , a Godolphin 4-year-old by Dubawi , took the early lead in the 1351 Sprint but tired through the final furlong to finish 11th.

While Songline was a moderate long shot in the sprint, Stay Foolish was a definite outsider in the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap (G3), winless in his last 25 starts and fifth in the Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1) in his previous outing in December.

Building on his earlier success, Lemaire took the 7-year-old son of Stay Gold  right to the lead and played catch me if you can. Not only couldn't they, but Stay Foolish kicked away at the end, winning by 4 1/4 lengths. Sonnyboyliston  was best of the rest with the favorite, Siskany , third.

Despite the evidence of his form, Lemaire said of Say Foolish, "I was really confident with this horse. I knew he would stay the trip. He was so comfortable in front and he didn't stop."

Lemaire, Japan's leading rider, said the sweep of the turf events proves again the quality of the nation's runners, if that still needs proving. But he acknowledged, too, the genesis of those horses.

"A lot of horses with good pedigrees. American pedigrees," he said.

Stay Foolish's sire, Stay Gold, is by Sunday Silence. Songline is by Kizuna , a son of Deep Impact , who was sired by Sunday Silence. And Authority's sire, Orfevre, also is by Stay Gold.