Saudi Crown

Last updated

Saudi Crown
Saudi Crown.webp
Saudi Crown before the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile
Sire Always Dreaming
Grandsire Bodemeister
DamNew Narration
Damsire Tapit
Sex Colt
FoaledFebruary 20, 2020 [1]
CountryUnited States
Color Gray or roan colt
Breeder China Horse Club
OwnerFMQ Stables
Trainer Brad H. Cox
Record16: 7 - 3 - 1
Earnings US$3,430,220 [2]
Major wins
Pennsylvania Derby (2023)
Louisiana Stakes (2024)
Last updated on July 1, 2025

Saudi Crown (foaled February 20, 2020) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby as a three-year-old in 2023. [2]

Contents

Background

Saudi Crown is a gray or roan colt that was bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club. Saudi Crown is the progeny of Always Dreaming, the 2017 Kentucky Derby who entered stud in 2019 and has two crops of racing age. Saudi Crown is Always Dreaming's first graded winner. In 2023 Always Dreaming was standing for $10,000 at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. [3] Saudi Crown is out from an unraced Tapit mare New Narration. He is one of two winners from as many foals of racing age from his dam, the other being Westphal (Exaggerator). [3]

Saudi Crown has twice been through auctions. As a yearling he was sold at the 2021 Keeneland January Mixed Sale for $45,000. [2] At the 2022 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. Pedro Lanz, agent for Faisal Mohammed Alqahtani of FMQ Stables, acquired him there for $240,000 when consigned by Top Line Sales. [3]

Saudi Crown is trained by Brad H. Cox. [2]

Career highlights

Saudi Crown did not race as a two-year-old and had his first start as a three-year-old in April at Keeneland winning a Maiden Special Weight event over six furlongs. [4] Due to his late development Saudi Crown did not start in any of the Triple Crown events.

On July 1, 2023, Saudi Crown was a nose short in a defeat to Fort Bragg in the G3 Dwyer Stakes over a mile at Belmont Park. [5]

On July 29, 2023, on a sloppy track, Saudi Crown was defeated by a nose by Forte in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. [3]

On September 23, 2023, Saudi Crown led throughout on a sloppy track at Parx Racing to win the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby by 1⁄2 length defeating Dreamlike with Il Miracolo in third place. [3]

Statistics

DateDistanceRaceGrade /
Group		TrackOddsFieldFinishWinning
Time		Winning
(Losing)
Margin		JockeyRef
2023 – three-year-old season
Apr 16, 2023 Maiden Special Weight Keeneland 5.881011:10.01 Florent Geroux [4]
May 21, 2023Allowance Churchill Downs 0.56*811:15.88 Florent Geroux [6]
Jul 1, 2023 Dwyer Stakes Belmont Park 1.60621:35.37 Javier Castellano [5]
Jul 29, 2023 Jim Dandy Stakes Saratoga 3.50521:49.61 Florent Geroux [7]
Sep 23, 2023 Pennsylvania Derby Parx 1.10*1111:50.62 Florent Geroux [8]
Nov 4, 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic Santa Anita 7.3012102:02.87 Florent Geroux [9]
2023 – four-year-old season
Jan 20, 2024 Louisiana Stakes Fair Grounds 0.70*611:43.20 Florent Geroux [10]
Feb 24, 2024 Saudi Cup King Abdulaziz Racetrack 1431:49.50 Florent Geroux [11]
Mar 30, 2024 Godolphin Mile Meydan 13121:49.50 Florent Geroux [12]
Aug 11, 2024R.A. "Cowboy" Jones Stakes Ellis Park 0.68*1011:36.57 Florent Geroux [13]
Nov 2, 2024 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Del Mar 7.1013131:35.48 Florent Geroux [14]
Dec 21, 2024Tenacious Stakes Fair Grounds 811:42.35 Florent Geroux [15]
2025 – five-year-old season
Jan 25, 2025 Pegasus World Cup Gulfstream Park 1151:48.05 Florent Geroux [16]
Mar 29, 2025 Oaklawn Mile Stakes Oaklawn Park 621:36.77 Florent Geroux [17]
May 3, 2025Lake Ouachita Stakes Oaklawn Park 611:42.25 Abel Cedillo [18]
Jun 29, 2025 Hanshin Stakes Churchill Downs 871:34.10 Florent Geroux [19]


Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Saudi Crown was the post-time favorite.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Saudi Crown, gray or roan colt, February 9, 2020 [1]
Sire
Always Dreaming
(2014)		 Bodemeister
(2009)		 Empire Maker
(2000)		 Unbridled (1987)
Toussaud (1989)
Untouched Talent
(2004)		 Storm Cat (1983)
Parade Queen (1994)
Above Perfection
(1998)		 In Excess (IRE)
(1987)		 Siberian Express (1981)
Kantado (1976)
Something Perfect
(1980)		Somethingfabulous (1972)
Happening (1967)
Dam
New Narration
(2015)		 Tapit
(2001)		 Pulpit
(1994)		 A.P. Indy (1989)
Preach (1989)
Tap Your Heels
(1996)		 Unbridled (1987)
Ruby Slippers (1982)
New Normal
(2008)		 Forestry
(1998)		 Storm Cat (1983)
Shared Interest (1988)
New Economy
(1998)		 Red Ransom (1987)
Sunyata (1989) (family 12-c) [20]

Notes

  1. ↑ Wagering is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. In British wagering, Saudi Crown started at 25/1 odds
  2. ↑ Wagering is not allowed in the United Arab Emirates. In British wagering, Saudi Crown started at 5/6 odds-on

References

  1. 1 2 "Always Dreaming's Pedigree". Equiineline. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Profile of Saudi Crown". Equibase. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 King, Byron (September 23, 2023). "Saudi Crown Leads Gate to Wire in Pennsylvania Derby Dreamlike rallied strongly on the outside but could not catch the winner". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Keeneland: Chart of Maiden Special Weight (race 6)". Equibase. April 16, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Dwyer Stakes Grade 3 (race 6)". Equibase. July 1, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  6. ↑ "CChurchill Downs: Chart of Allowance (race 8)". Equibase. May 21, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Jim Dandy S. Presented by DK Horse Grade 2 (race 10)". Equibase. July 29, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Pennsylvania Derby Grade 1 (race 13)". www.equibase.com. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Louisiana Stakes Presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard Grade 3 (race 12)". www.equibase.com. January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Saudi Cup (Group 1) (race 8)". Racing Post. February 24, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Godolphin Mile Sponsored by EMAAR (Group 2) (race 2)". Racing Post. March 30, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  13. ↑ "R.A. "Cowboy" Jones S. Black Type - (race 5)". www.equibase.com. August 11, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  14. ↑ "ig Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Grade 1 - (race 12)". Equibase. November 2, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Tenacious Stakes Listed (race 12)". www.equibase.com. December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  16. ↑ "2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Grade 1 (race 13)". www.equibase.com. January 25, 2025. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Oaklawn Mile Stakes (Grade 3) – (race 8)". March 29, 2025. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Lake Ouachita Stakes (Black Type) – (race 1)". May 3, 2025. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Hanshin Stakes esented by JRA (Listed) – (race 8)". June 29, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – MEYNELL (GB) – Family 12-c". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.