The day has finally arrived for the richest horse race in the world. The second installment of the Saudi Cup is scheduled for Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Cup post time is 12:40 p.m. EST. FOX Sports on FS1 and FS2 are airing the festivities live from King Abdulaziz Racetrack. This monster race is worth $20,000,000, which hopefully comes with less controversy than last year.

The purse money took nearly a year to figure out, as the disqualification of Maximum Security complicated the process. The drugged Maximum Security ultimately resulted in widespread allegations and subsequent arrests, notably to trainer Jason Servis. Maximum Security ran briefly for Bob Baffert’s barn and then retired shortly not too long ago in 2020.

I’m confident that we can get through the 2021 edition of the Saudi Cup without too much controversy, but we are talking about a $20,000,000 purse. There is bound to be at least one team upset with something along the way. Four American horses are expected to run, including Max Player, Charlatan, Tactitus, and Knicks Go. All four have a reasonable opportunity to win this event, with Charlanta and Knicks Go in excellent standing.

The $20,000,000 Saudi Cup isn’t the only heavyweight showdown on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racetrack. There is a total of $30.5 million to be won on Saudi Cup Day. Head below for our free Saudi Cup picks for February 20, 2021 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack.

Race 2 – Turf Sprint

Betting Picks Pegasus World Cup 2021 Picks. The Pegasus World Cup is a remarkable horse race taking place in Florida, where the best jockeys and trainers in the world gather to compete for $3 million. At once time, the Pegasus World Cup was worth as much as $16 million, and it remains one of the most important races on the calendar. Keep in mind that the World Cup consensus picks does not compile data about the number of people betting a draw. The numbers above are only concerning people picking one side or another. However, you can also easily find the best World Cup odds to bet a draw if you would prefer that. How to bet on the 2019 Rugby World Cup: Odds to win tournament, best picks and predictions Get the best sports betting information delivered straight to your inbox for free.

Post Time: 4:35 p.m. AST
Distance:6 ¾ Furlongs
Purse:$1,000,000

World Cup Betting Picks

Turf racing in Saudi Arabia is a new concept, as the grass track was constructed exclusively for the Saudi Cup events last year. In this turf event, a field of eleven will run for a $1,000,000 purse in the Turf Sprint. Glorious Journey and Space Blues should run up well with a chance of striking.

Glorious Journey is a British entry that has been a stakes runner right from the get-go. He has experience on this turf with an appearance in the Stc 1351 Cup on February 29. Glorious Journey ran well to show 3rd in that race, but was out of the picture at the wire.

Since that outing, Glorious Journey has finished 9th, 5th, 1st, 3rd, 3rd since that race. He had a win in the Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes on September 18, but has only been able to show since that performance. Glorious Journey most recently showed 3rd in the Al Fahidi Fort (Gr. 2) in Dubai at Meydan Racecourse on January 21.

Space Blues has been on fire and goes into the Turf Sprint on electric terms. The Irish bred Space Blues transfers to Saudi Arabia after finding a lot of success in France. Space Blues is on a four-race winning streak, with three graded wins in a row.

He is coming off a nice win in the LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr. 1). Space Blues took the lead for the final 50 yards and was ridden out easily for a win. In his last two wins, Space Blues was ridden out late in the event for easy victories. Expect more of the same if Space Blues comes to play in Saudi Arabia.

Race 6 – Saudi Derby

Post Time: 7:01 p.m. AST
Distance:1 Mile
Purse:$1,500,000

The Saudi Derby is a $1,500,000 event on the dirt with 13 runners scheduled to participate. Rebel’s Romance and Soft Whisper are likely going to run well in this performance. Rebel’s Romance is a perfect 3 for 3 in his career, but is racing in the biggest race of his career on Saturday. This will certainly be the toughest outing for Rebel’s Romance.

Rebel’s Romance is coming off a win at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in a Conditions event. He was a heavy favorite in that one, closing a 4/9 or -225 on American odds. In his debut in Saudi Arabia, Rebel’s Romance will need an even bigger performance to find the winner’s circle in this event. This is going to be a tough ride against Soft Whisper. Soft Whisper is on a four-race winning streak and is 4 for 6 in her career. The filly has a good case for upsetting the boys in the Saudi Derby.

Soft Whisper won a similar race as Rebels Romance on January 7 at Meydan Racecourse in an even more impressive performance. In her next and most recent entry, Soft Whisper won the UAE 1000 Guineas in a tougher assignment on January 28. She ran on well and was clear easily in the stretch. Mike Smith is aboard Soft Whisper for this ride. If she runs as nicely as she did January 7, then a win is within reach.

Race 8 – Saudi Cup

Rugby World Cup Betting Picks

Post Time: 8:40 p.m. AST
Distance:1 ⅛ Mile
Purse:$20,000,000

World Cup Betting Picks Predictions

The feature event of the year is the $20,000,000 Saudi Cup on Saturday. The Americans are going to be right up there, and it’s hard to ignore a potential duel unfolding. Knicks Go and Charlatan have the talent to run away from this field.

However, a potential upset candidate on Chuwa Wizard certainly is worth some consideration. The Japanese Chuwa Wizard is in nice form at the moment, and has 10 wins in 18 entries. He has finished 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 1st in his previous four outings, with a win in the Champions Cup (Gr. 1) in his latest race.

Bob Baffert’s Charlatan heads into the Saudi Cup as the betting favorite on the morning-line. It’s hard to argue with that, as Charlatan is a beast and could have won the Kentucky Derby if it wasn’t for a minor ankle injury. Charlatan sat that race out, along with the Breeders’ Cup.

Charlatan returned to the track on December 26 in the $300,000 Malibu Stakes (Gr. 3) with a dominant performance. He defeated Express Train by 4 ½ lengths and cleared easily going into the stretch. Charlatan is 3 for 4, would be 4 for 4 if he wasn’t disqualified in the Arkansas Derby (Gr. 1) in May.

Knicks Go is in tremendous form at the moment and rates a threat to all. He is a winner in four straight, and coming off a win in the $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Mile over Jesus’ Team by 3 ½ lengths. Knicks Go geared down late and could have won by more if he really wanted.

He was able to follow up in the $3,000,000 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park over Jesus’ Team again in a similar race, but this time Knicks Go won in wire-to-wire form. He geared down yet again late and was under no pressure. Knicks Go might need to go all out in this performance, but I’m going to go with him over Charlatan. His current form is hard to ignore and he’s getting better value.

Pegasus World Cup Betting: Expert Picks

First held back in 2017 when the previous year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and subsequent Dubai World Cup winner Arrogate triumphed in the mile-and-one-eighth, the 2021 renewal of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational takes place at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

With a role of honour that has since resulted in Gun Runner, City of Light and in 2020 Mucho Gusto registering victories in the race, this year’s has a lot to live up to.

The field is certainly a quality one, with the likes of Knicks Go, Code of Honor and Tax in the field it looks likely to be a cracker with television coverage offered by NBC starting at 4:30pm ET with the big race itself due off at 5:44pm ET.

With seven of the runners heading into the contest on the back of victories (including four in Graded company) the 2021 renewal looks set to be the most competitive yet.

RELATED: Pegasus World Cup Odds: Knicks Go Made Slight 5-2 Favorite In $3 Million Pegasus World Cup

Pegasus World Cup Handicapping: Knicks Go to continue winning run

Unbeaten in three starts since joining the Brad Cox barn at the back end of 2019, our main selection Knicks Go delivered a highly impressive seven-and-a-half length triumph in an allowance optional claimer over a mile-and-one-sixteenth at Oaklawn Park when making his debut for the handler 11 months.

An even more impressive victory followed with a ten-and-a-quarter length gap back to the second in a six runner contest over the same distance at Keeneland. That was a race in which a big speed figure saw him attract plenty of attention in the lead up to the Breeders’ Cup meet the following meet.

The result in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile was never in too much doubt with Joel Rosario’s mount delivering a maiden Grade 1 victory in scoring by three-and-half lengths having made all the running.

Recent works suggest that the son of Paynter has returned as good as ever in 2020, with a 1:00.60 five-furlong breeze a week ago seeing the grey/roan horse complete his prep for the race.

With a good draw in gate four, he looks likely to prove very hard to beat with the step up in distance unlikely to pose any issues for a horse who’s regularly looked as if a step up in distance would suit.

RELATED: 2021 Pegasus World Cup: Sleepy Eyes Todd

Pegasus World Cup Past Performances: Closer favored for second

One of the more interesting runners in the field is the five-year-old Sleepy Eyes Todd with connections employing different tactics in recent starts. That included when the son of Paddy O’Prado raced from off the pace prior to winning the seven-furlong Lafayette Stakes at Keeneland by one-and-a-half lengths in early November.

Miguel Angel Silva’s charge followed up with a half-length triumph in the Grade 3 Mr Prospector Stakes over the same distance here the following month but Jose Ortiz’s horse has demonstrated strong form over further in the past including when taking a Grade 2 over a mile-and-one-sixteenth at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races last August.

In the context of this race it was pleasing to see Sleepy Eyes Todd race behind the pace here on his most recent start and with our chief selection Knicks Go, the fancied Tax, Harpers First Ride and Last Judgement all likely to want to race close to or on the speed the race, at least in terms of the places may be set up for a closer and in that regard, Sleepy Eyes Todd is one of two who look capable of picking up the pieces.

RELATED: 2021 Pegasus World Cup: Code Of Honor

Pegasus World Cup Betting: Consistent Honor to round out Trifecta

Proven Grade 1 performer Code of Honor is our third selection for the trifecta bet. That’s down to the Noble Mission five-year-old regularly staying on well to claim place prize money at the highest level including when a length second in the Clark Stakes over this distance at Churchill Downs at the end of November.

Trained by Hall of Fame handler Shug McGaughey III Code of Honor has demonstrated good form at this track in the past with his Derby campaign back in 2019 having seen him take the Grade 2 Fountain Of Youth prior to a third place finish to subsequent Derby winner Maximum Security in the Florida Derby in March of that year.

Code of Honor is a consistent sort having won or placed in four of his five starts since finishing seventh in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita and he looks up to registering another significant effort at the highest level with Tyler Gaffalione taking the ride for the first time.

RELATED: 2021 Pegasus World Cup: Date, Odds And Favorites

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World Cup Betting Picks 2019

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