Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will return to King Abdulaziz Racecourse next week with unfinished business firmly on his mind, targeting a first victory in the Saudi Cup after several near-misses in the world’s richest race.
The Saudi Cup has long been one of the few major prizes missing from Baffert’s extensive international résumé, and the American conditioner arrives in Riyadh this time with a powerful trio led by Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos and Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes victor Nevada Beach.
Set to be run on Saturday, February 14, the Saudi Cup again shapes as a global contest of depth and class, with last year’s winner Forever Young among the headline acts Baffert must overcome.
Baffert, never one to hide his emotions, admits the closing stages of the Saudi Cup have proved particularly cruel in the past.
He has gone close repeatedly since the race’s inception in 2020, watching promising positions evaporate inside the final furlong, a stretch that has become an all-too-familiar source of frustration.
His Saudi Cup record tells a story of consistency without reward. Country Grammer finished second in both 2022 and 2023, Charlatan filled the runner-up spot in 2021, while Mucho Gusto led deep into the straight before finishing third in the inaugural running. National Treasure added another solid effort when fourth last year.
Saudi Cup Target Shapes Nysos and Nevada Beach Campaigns
Baffert’s belief that this could finally be his year rests on careful planning and horses he feels are ideally suited to the test.
Nysos arrives after a deliberately patient campaign. When plans changed earlier in the season, Baffert opted to give the colt time rather than rush him, a decision that ultimately kept the Saudi Cup firmly in focus.
Nevada Beach, meanwhile, appeals as a horse built for the unique demands of Riyadh. A strong, ground-covering type, he has the stamina profile Baffert believes is essential for success over the demanding distance and surface.
The trainer watched last year’s edition without a runner, admiring the duel between Forever Young and Romantic Warrior, and believes the race continues to set a high standard on the international calendar.
All three of Baffert’s runners have settled well since arriving in Saudi Arabia. Alongside his Saudi Cup contenders, Imagination will line up in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, completing a team that Baffert feels is thriving after the long journey.
Early reports from Riyadh have been encouraging, with the horses showing their usual resilience and handling local conditions smoothly during their initial work.
Baffert will travel to oversee final preparations himself, keenly aware of what a Saudi Cup victory would represent.
Beyond the historic prize money, it is the competitive challenge that continues to drive him, with the Saudi Cup standing as the last major international target yet to fall his way.
Flavien Prat has been confirmed for rides aboard Nysos in the Saudi Cup and Imagination in the sprint, while Irad Ortiz Jr. will partner Nevada Beach.
With a strong hand assembled and experience firmly on his side, Baffert arrives in Riyadh once again chasing a moment that has narrowly eluded him for five years.
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