Saudi Crown Gearing Up for Run in Pennsylvania Derby

Image: 
Description: 

Photo: Skip Dickstein
Saudi Crown (inside) narrowly lost to Forte in the Jim Dandy at Saratoga Race Course

Trainer Brad Cox is sitting out the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1), but he hopes that his 3-year-olds will be heard from down the road.

Only one of Cox's horses was nominated for the Midsummer Derby, but he had long ago decided that Saudi Crown  would skip it and be redirected to the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing Sept 23.

Saudi Crown, a son of 2017 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming  , finished second in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course July 29, losing by a thin nose to Forte , the 7-5 morning line favorite for the Aug. 26 Travers.

"That was a big-time effort," Cox said in his office at the Oklahoma Training Track.. "It was his first time around two turns and he was narrowly defeated. He never gave in. I thought the Jim Dandy was a grade 1 race." 

Owned by FMQ Stables, Saudi Crown had his first work since the Jim Dandy Aug. 19, going four furlongs in 52 seconds.

Sign up for

The Jim Dandy was the fourth career start for Saudi Crown, who did not race as a 2-year-old. 

He broke his maiden in his first try at Keeneland  by 4 3/4 lengths April 16 and followed that up with a 1 3/4-length allowance score at Churchill Downs May 21.

Saudi Crown's first stakes race, the Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park July 1, saw him lose by a nose to Fort Bragg , who runs in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) on Travers Day.

No one can blame Cox if he has some excitement for Saudi Crown as he sets his sights on Parx.

"I think he really has a big future," he said.