Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown, a multi-millionaire son of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming, has been retired from racing and has joined the stallion roster at Darby Dan Farm for the upcoming breeding season. He will stand his initial season at stud for $12,500 S&N.
In an accomplished racing career for owner FMQ Stables and trainer Brad Cox, Saudi Crown established himself as a leading sophomore of his crop. He delivered a signature front-running win in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at PARX in 2023, repelling multiple challenges to score decisively while earning a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure over the 1 1/8-mile distance. That breakout Grade 1 victory was preceded by runner-up finishes in both the Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park and the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga, which built on an eye-catching maiden special weight win over six furlongs at Keeneland in his career debut.
He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with an authoritative wire-to-wire victory in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds. Dictating terms from the break in the 1 1/16-mile fixture, he drew off to romp by 5 ¾ lengths over a strong field that included multiple graded stakes winners Red Route One and Smile Happy. His 4-year-old season also highlighted his class in international competition, finishing third in the $10 million Saudi Cup (G1), outrunning Grade 1 winner National Treasure while finishing just behind Senor Buscador and Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Ushba Tesoro (JPN). Saudi Crown capped his 2024 season with victories in the R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Stakes at Ellis Park and the Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds, where he ran a 103 Beyer.
Demonstrating consistency and durability into this, his 5-year-old season, Saudi Crown captured the $350,000 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland in April, clearing the field by 2 ¾ lengths in a sharp performance. All told, Saudi Crown retires with nine wins and four placings from 21 starts, having amassed earnings of $3,751,380. A $240,000 graduate of the 2022 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he was bought by Pedro Lanz, agent for Faisal Mohammed Alqahtani out of the Top Line Sales consignment, Saudi Crown is produced from the Tapit mare New Narration. His second dam is New Normal, a daughter of Forestry who won the Natalma Stakes (G3) at Woodbine, and he hails from the female family of Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner Noble’s Promise.
Darby Dan will show Saudi Crown and the entire stallion roster daily at the farm from 9 a.m. through 12 p.m. during the Keeneland November Sale. For more information on Saudi Crown, contact Stuart Fitzgibbon at (859) 621-6763, by email at [email protected], or visit www.darbydan.com.
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