PANTHALASSA (JPN) (h, 6, Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})–Miss Pemberley {Ire}, by Montjeu {Ire}) doesn’t exactly own a pedigree that screams dirt, but when trainer Yoshito Yahagi decides to travel one, it pays to pay attention. Making just the second start of his career on the surface–he was well beaten in listed company in Japan–the 6-year-old bounced away beautifully from gate one and never let the others have a chance, leading every step of the way to give Japan its first victory in the G1 Saudi Cup and a third on the evening after posting a four-timer in 2022. Following Wednesday’s draw, Yahagi declared himself pleased enough with the one hole, saying simply, ‘gotta go.’ And jockey Yutaka Yoshida followed the script to a ‘T’, kicking the entire straight into the lead, as compatriot Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Taiba (Gun Runner) tracked two and three wide, respectively. Traveling like a seasoned main-track horse on the turn, Panthalassa turned them in and at one stage with about a quarter mile to the finish, the top five spots were occupied by the Japanese. Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) and Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) chimed in at that point, but Panthalassa kept finding and was home narrowly best. Country Grammer (Tonalist) was trapped out about five wide, but he looked to be struggling as the field hit the final three furlongs. But in a manner similar to last year’s G1 Dubai World Cup, he found his second wind and rattled home down the centre of the track to set him up beautifully for a return trip to Meydan next month. Cafe Pharoah photoed Geoglyph for third, while Crown Pride made for a 1-3-4-5 finish for Japan. These connections also won the 1351 Turf Sprint with Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). O-Hiroo Race Co Ltd; B-PANGLOSS Y K, Toshihiro Hirosaki, et al; T-Yoshito Yahagi.
Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
SAUDI CUP-G1, $20,000,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-25, 4yo/up, 1800m, 1:50.80, ft.
1–PANTHALASSA (JPN), 126, h, 6, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
1st Dam: Miss Pemberley (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Stitching (Ire), by High Estate (Ire)
3rd Dam: Itching (Ire), by Thatching (Ire)
O-Hiroo Race Co Ltd; B-PANGLOSS Y K, Toshihiro Hirosaki et al; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Yutaka Yoshida; $10,000,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-UAE, MGSW & G1SP-Jpn, 25-7-6-0, $14,418,903. *1/2 to Etendard (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $770,677; and Dimension (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), MGSP-Jpn, $1,030,766. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Country Grammer, 126, h, 6, Tonalist–Arabian Song, by Forestry. ($60,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $450,000 2yo ’19 OBSAPR; $110,000 HRA ’21 KEEJAN). O-Zedan Racing Stables, WinStar Farm & Commonwealth Thoroughbreds; B-Scott & Debbie Pierce (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Frankie Dettori; $3,500,000.
3–Cafe Pharoah, 126, h, 6, American Pharoah–Mary’s Follies, by More Than Ready. ($475,000 2yo ’19 OBSMAR). O-Koichi Nishikawa; B-Paul P Pompa (KY); T-Noriyuki Hori; J-Joao Moreira; $2,000,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, HD. Odds: 15-1, 7-2, 14-1.
Also Ran: Geoglyph (Jpn), Crown Pride (Jpn), Emblem Road, Jun Light Bolt (Jpn), Taiba, Remorse (Ire), Lagertha Rhyme (Ire), Vin de Garde (Jpn), Sunset Flash (Ire), Scotland Yard.
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