On to World Cup for Country Grammer

Country Grammer, second for the second straight year in the $20 million Saudi Cup, will go on to Dubai to try and win the $12 million Dubai World Cup for the second year in a row.

Racing wide and rallying late under Frankie Dettori, Country Grammer finished fastest Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse but fell just short of wire-to-wire winner Panthalassa. Country Grammer will travel from Saudi Arabia to Dubai, where he’ll prepare for another run at the World Cup on March 25, trainer Bob Baffert said via text message Sunday.

Taiba, the shorter-priced Saudi Cup starter for Baffert and owner Amr Zedan, checked in seventh after racing close to the early pace in the one-turn, 1,800meter contest. Both Taiba and Havnameltdown, who was narrowly beaten in the Saudi Derby, Baffert said, are headed back to California.

Trainer Bill Mott’s two Saudi runners both ran winning races, but only one of them won. Elite Power, likely improving upon his Breeders’ Cup Sprint victory in November, won his sixth straight race in the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, overpowering the competition. Elite Power is expected to return to the United States as will Casa Creed, who followed his brutally close second-place finish a year ago in the $1.5 million 1351 Turf Sprint with another brutally close second-place finish in the same race. Casa Creed finished strongly after racing wide on the turn and just failed to catch front-running winner Bathrat Leon. Casa Creed is expected to target the Grade 1 Jaipur in June at Belmont Park, a race he won in 2022.

Gunite, a clear second behind Elite Power, will travel to Dubai for the Golden Shaheen on the World Cup undercard, said trainer Steve Asmussen, who at this point has no other runners for the World Cup card.

Panthalassa dead-heated for first last March in the Dubai Turf; he could start in that race again next month but also is under consideration for the World Cup. Panthalassa is one of 11 Japanese horses moving directly from Saudi Arabia to Dubai. That group includes all six Japanese runners in the Saudi Cup – Cafe Pharoah (who was third), Geoglyph (fourth), Crown Pride (fifth), Jun Light Bolt (seventh), and Vin de Garde (11th). Geoglyph and Vin de Garde, like Panthalassa, have turf options on the Dubai World Cup card. The other Japanese horses expected in Dubai are Bathrat Leon, who could go for a repeat bid in the Godolphin Mile; Derma Sotogake and Continuar, third and fifth in the Saudi Derby; and Remake and Justin, third and fourth in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Plans were uncertain for Mostahdaf, who was awesome capturing the Neom Turf Cup for co-trainers John and Thady Gosden, though the 5-year-old also could be considered for the Dubai Turf.