Horse racing newsletter: Previewing the Saudi Cup

DU JOUR stalked the lone leader from outside, coaxed along into the far turn, drew alongside in upper stretch, put a head in front at the eighth pole and kicked clear. ENOUGH NONSENSE sped clear and angled in, was rated near the inside controlling the pace, ridden along at the quarter pole, lost command with a furlong to go and stayed on well for second. AIRMAN traveled along the inside then moved out a bit on the backstretch, angled in and saved ground around the far turn and gained third along the fence. IVORY SKY chased from inside to the stretch, tipped out and lacked a serious bid. MAN FRIDAY broke through the gate prior to the start, leaned back and hopped at the start, bumped with inner rival and checked into the first turn, tracked off the rail to the stretch and had little left. EL JOY went three then two wide around the first turn, chased outside a rival then two wide into the stretch and never rallied. WARBIRD was off a bit slow to begin and bobbled shortly after the start came two wide into the lane and made no impact. ACHILLEUS bumped and checked between rivals entering the first turn, saved ground into the lane and came up empty.

CLOCKSTRIKESTWELVE was content to trail the field early, ridden along through the turn, rallied under right-handed urging, tipped outside the leader and drew clear late under steady handling. CANADIAN GINGER sped to the front from inside, showed the way two wide into the lane, led clear to the sixteenth pole and was caught by the winner. TIME FOR EBBY stumbled at the start, tracked off the rail then four wide leaving the turn, angled outside a rival into the stretch, put in a mild late bid and gained the show. MADAME BARBARIAN was in range early near the inside, cut the corner into the stretch, lacked room past the sixteenth pole and got edged for the show. LI'L GRAZEN stalked the leader from outside, exited the turn three wide and weakened. LADY ON ICE stalked outside LI'L GRAZEN early, came four wide into the stretch and also weakened.

LUVLUV bumped by rival leaving the gate, settled off the pace, swung five wide into the stretch, closed fast and surged clear. IN VRONSKY STYLE settled early, angled out on the turn, came four wide into the stretch, cleared with a furlong to go but could not match the winner late and held the place. RACETRACKERS bumped from inside and checked early, angled out on the turn, went three wide into the stretch, steered out in the lane and finished willingly for the show. QUEEN'S CODE bumped and checked between rivals early, chased three wide into the drive and went evenly late. STARSHIP CHEWBACCA came out and bumped rival early, dueled for the lead from inside to the stretch and weakened. SQUARE ROOT came in early, dueled outside STARSHIP CHEWBACCA to the stretch and gave way. KRISTEL'S REBEL traveled near the back of the pack, angled to the two path then to the rail around the bend, moved out in the stretch and could not rally. JUNGLE BOY bumped and checked between rivals early, chased from inside and tired in the lane. AUGUST INDY broke out and bumped rival at the start, raced at the back of the pack outside a rival and was never a factor.

LITTLE RACHEL settled off the pace, went between rivals nearing the three-eighths pole, angled four wide into the stretch, summoned a late bid and edged the runner-up. CANDY FURY dueled outside of PRINCE MAGICIAN into and around the turn, took over in upper stretch and led through the furlong grounds but was bested by the winner late. PRINCE MAGICIAN dueled for command from inside into and around the bend, held a short lead into the drive, shifted in upper stretch and flattened out to third. MCWHERTER stumbled leaving the gate but recovered quickly, well placed early behind the dueling pair up front, took the turn four then three wide and finished evenly in the final furlong. MOON MISCHIEF chased five wide into the turn, four wide exiting the bend and failed to threaten. ME MACHO tracked the top pair from inside to the stretch and proved no menace.

LET'S GO NOW sped to the front from inside, led along the fence to the drive, responded when challenged from both sides and held gamely. AMIKO CHOW (IRE) stalked the pace along the rail, angled outside the leader on the far turn, took aim three wide in upper stretch, could not find the needed late kick but held the place. UNBREAKABLE reserved early between rivals, angled in on the second turn, bid inside in the stretch and missed the place. LAKAYA tucked inside on the first turn, was in a bit tight and steadied past the seven-sixteenths, shifted out at the quarter pole then back inside at the three-sixteenths and bested the rest. NICOLE GRACE stumbled a bit at the start, stalked outside rivals or three wide, angled in around the final turn, tipped out at the stretch and weakened. LEMON DROP TINI stalked outside a rival then three wide into the drive and also weakened. AWESOME PAMELA went three then two wide around the first turn, two to three wide on the final bend and was never a factor.

TRUE MISCHIEF sped to the front and was pressured to the outside, cleared foes nearing the three-eighths, inched away into the stretch, urged right-handed and drew off while kept to task to the wire. GOTTA BE LUCKY stalked the pace from inside then moved into the two path nearing the far turn, came out around the bend and five wide into the stretch and rallied for to gain the place. INFO'S TREASURE settled in the two path early, moved to the rail on the final turn then back out into the two path leaving that bend, steered out in the stretch and gained the show. LADY O'PRADO went three wide through the first turn, closed in up the backstretch, put in a mild bid outside rivals at the seven-sixteenths, could keep pace with the winner around the turn, chased three wide into the lane and flattened out. PRINCESS TALE broke out, took the first turn four wide, two to three wide around the far turn, angled inside a rival at the three-sixteenths and never threatened. MONGOLIAN SUNRISE pressed the pace early from outside, dropped back on the final turn and tired.

I'M LEAVING YOU unhurried in the early staged, coaxed around the far turn, swung five wide into the stretch, rallied and struck in the front inside the eighth pole and drew clear. HOOP DREAM tucked inside on the first turn, sat off the pace, angled three wide into the stretch, steered widest in the lane and closed well. LIAR LIAR (IRE) raced off the pace, went two to three wide around the first turn, between runners on the backstretch, lacked room near the three-eighths pole, went two wide into the stretch, lacked room again with a furlong to go, gained a clear path and kept on to gain the show. TALKING went four wide through both turns, bid in upper stretch and flattened to minor share. MIDNIGHT MYSTERY was closest to the leader early, bid outside that rival at the five-sixteenths pole, took command in upper stretch and flattened out in the final sixteenth. AMERICAN DANCER tracked the pace from inside, saved ground to the stretch then tipped out and went between runners mid-stretch and flattened out. HOLDEN THE LUTE chased off the rail, went three wide into the lane, was crowded mid-stretch and weakened. WITCH'S VOW sped to the front and brushed the rail into the first turn, was challenged around the far turn, held a short lead into the stretch, relinquished the lead and gave way.

EEL POINT tracked the speed off the rail, bid three deep around the turn, dueled with DEFENSE WINS through the stretch and prevailed. DEFENSE WINS chased outside the leader early, pressed into the turn, headed rival at the five-sixteenths and took over shortly after, dueled with EEL POINT through the drive and fought gamely to the wire. GOV FROM ABOVE chased the pace from inside, angled three wide into the stretch, steered back to the fence in the lane, put in a late bid inside the top pair and proved a game third. SUPER CLASSIC sat off the pace, went two wide into the turn, four wide into the stretch and bested the rest. FLAT WHITE set the pace and crossed over, led two wide into the turn, got headed by rival at the five-sixteenths, lost the lead shortly after and gave way. MONTANA MOON stalked off the rail or outside a rival, took the turn two to three wide and lacked further response. THE KOHEN entered the turn three wide then angled to the rail around the bend and proved no menace.

ROCKIE CAUSEWAY tracked outside a rival, angled out and ranged up for wide around the far turn, struck the front entering the lane, kicked clear in upper stretch and finished well under right-handed urging and steady handling late. STARSHIP SKY raced outside a rival then came four wide into the stretch, moved out at the top of the lane and edged I'LL DO IT FOR YOU for second. I'LL DO IT FOR YOU angled in on the first turn, stalked the pace inside, moved into the two path around the far turn, tipped out three wide at the top of the stretch and lost the place. SLEW SOUTH settled inside, angled out around the far turn, lacked room and steadied upper stretch, moved to a clear path and finished willingly to gain a minor share. VRONSKY ZIPS AWAY vied between rivals around the first turn, dueled from outside up the backstretch, vied between again around the far turn and weakened in the lane. ARISTEIA vied three deep early then was taken back to a stalking position, bid three deep around the far turn but faded in the stretch. PHOENIX TEARS shied from the rail entering the first turn, dueled for the lead from inside up the backstretch, fought with rivals through the far turn and into the stretch, then gave way in the drive. HUMOR ME HARPER was off a bit slow to begin and showed little. RAYS DARLINKLE went four wide through the first turn, traveled outside rivals on the backstretch, started to weaken around the second bend, eased in the stretch and walked off.