Quality Road Sires Exacta In Listed King's Cup, Saudi Cup Next

A little less than five months after Emblem Road caused a massive upset in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup last February, agents for that horse's owner HRH Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz went shopping for another son of Quality Road at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. They landed on Scotland Yard, placed three times in maiden company from four starts for WinStar Farm and Siena Farm and Steve Asmussen and offered through the WinStar Racing consignment.

Acquired for $255,000 with a race like the Saudi Cup the long-term objective, Scotland Yard remained undefeated in three starts at King Abdulaziz Racetrack with a comprehensive victory in Saturday's $399,600 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (King's Cup), accorded listed black-type status for the first time.

Drawn wide in a field of 17, Scotland Yard broke alertly and raced handy to the pace while traveling in about the six path down the long backstretch in Riyadh. Allowed to improve his position and guided down to race three deep around the turn, Scotland Yard wrested command from fellow Fasig-Tipton HORA grad Electability (Quality Road) under little encouragement with more than a quarter-mile to race and put on a show down the lane, scoring by 10 1/4 lengths (see below, SC 16)). Electability plugged on for second ahead of 9-year-old mare La Casa Tarifa (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) in third. The final time for the mile and a quarter on a dry strip that rarely produces fast times was a crisp 2:04 flat. With the victory, Scotland Yard earns an automatic berth in the nine-furlong Saudi Cup Feb. 25.