Bob Baffert hungry for Saudi Cup glory

RIYADH – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will return to King Abdulaziz racecourse next week on a mission to secure a first win in the US$20 million (S$25.4 million) Group 1 Saudi Cup, a race in which he is determined to add to his huge portfolio of major international successes.

Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile (1,600m) winner Nysos will join Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes (1,800m) victor Nevada Beach in the 1,800m feature event on Feb 14, and the 73-year-old is relishing the challenge of taking on the 2025 winner Forever Young.

“I thought I could win it before, but the thing about the Saudi Cup every time I watch it, you think you are home free but all of a sudden, they show the 100-metre mark and boy, I lost so much money after that 100-metre mark!” he said.

“That 100-metre mark is a killer for me. We are always ahead at the 100m and then I just think ‘uh-oh, this is not good, we’ve still got 100m to go’. We’ve come agonisingly close.”

The legendary US trainer saddles three runners in the big meeting, including Imagination in the US$2 million Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1,200m).

All of them have arrived in Riyadh and pleased Baffert’s long-time assistant trainer, Jimmy Barnes.

“It was a long trip but they handled it well, and my assistant has told me they all look healthy and happy,” said Baffert.

“They had a jog on the track on Thursday morning and all felt good. It’s amazing how resilient these horses are after going through that long journey but they’re in good shape.”

Baffert’s recollection of agony in the closing stages of the Saudi Cup is understandable, having gone so close so often since the world’s richest race was first run in 2020.

He watched with admiration without a runner 12 months ago as Forever Young and Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior served up a race for the ages, but in 2024, Baffert saddled National Treasure, who finished fourth behind Senor Buscador.

Country Grammer took second in 2023 and 2022, while Charlatan filled the same spot in 2021. Mucho Gusto led them up the straight in the 2020 edition to finish third.

“The Saudi Cup is new and it’s different and all these big races are different. You need a good horse in the Saudi Cup and you look at last year’s race with Romantic Warrior and Forever Young, and it was fantastic,” said Baffert.

“We’ve thought about this a while back for Nysos. The fact he wasn’t going to be able to make the (Grade 1) Breeders’ Cup Classic (2,000m) when we got a little bit behind on him, we gave him time off and ran him in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“After that we decided to run him an extra year as he didn’t get to run all that much, so the Saudi Cup has always been on the radar for him since then.

“And as for Nevada Beach, I sort of thought of it after the Breeders’ Cup that he’s the type of horse that is a big, long-jumping horse that gets over the ground well.

“He wants to go a mile and a quarter. The track there can be demanding and he is a horse that reminds me a little bit of Country Grammer, who ran well there.”

Baffert will be on hand to oversee preparations later this week and hopes both horses will be suited by the race.

“The prize money is very important, and the challenge of it all for me as a trainer, that’s the one race I haven’t won, so it would be nice to win it,” he said.

“It’s a tough race but all those big races like that are all tough. We’re looking forward to it and hope everything goes well all week. At least we don’t have to worry about the weather!”

Baffert confirmed Flavien Prat will ride Imagination in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint and Nysos in the main race, while Irad Ortiz Jr will partner Nevada Beach.

“Imagination worked well leaving here,” added Baffert.

“He is the kind of horse that takes off a little slow, it takes him a while to get going but the further the better.

“He should be very competitive. It’s hard to know how the form will compare, but he’s doing well.” JOCKEY CLUB OF SAUDI ARABIA