The Saudi Cup (Arabic: كأس السعودية) is an international horse race held at
King Abdulaziz Racetrack in
Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia. It is the richest horse race ever held, with a $20 million purse.
Race details
The race is notable for its 20 million dollar purse,
which makes it the most lucrative event in horse racing.
The race is held four weeks after the $3 million
Pegasus World Cup at
Gulfstream Park,
Florida, and four weeks before the $12 million
Dubai World Cup at
Meydan Racecourse,
Dubai, making it possible for horses in those races to compete.
In 2021, the
Pegasus World Cup in the
United States and the
Champions Cup in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
were "Win and You're In" qualifiers for the Saudi Cup.
The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities' Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee assigned
Group 1 status to the Saudi Cup before its third running, scheduled for February 2022.
History
The first edition of the race was held on February 29, 2020. It was won by an American horse,
Maximum Security, ridden by Luis Saez. The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia announced two months later that it would withhold Maximum Security's purse money pending an investigation, following the
indictment of trainer
Jason Servis
Jason J. Servis (born April 2, 1957) is an American trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. He is best known for having trained Maximum Security, who finished first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby but was disqualified for interference.
He is a brother ...
in the United States.
As of October 2021, there has been no resolution on the purse matter.
Winners
*Maximum Security's first-place purse has been held pending an investigation by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia.[
]
References
* Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 6 ...
:
** , ,
{{Saudi Cup
Open mile category horse races
Horse races in Saudi Arabia
Sport in Riyadh
2020 establishments in Saudi Arabia
Recurring sporting events established in 2020