Dark Saffron, who has spent his entire racing career in the UAE, will make his first start in his native state in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland.
The 4-year-old son of Flameaway is a two-time winner of the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), run annually at Meydan in late March. The most recent renewal was indeed his most recent start, meaning that he will attempt to win the Sprint off a seven-month layoff.
Dark Saffron has had success before doing just that. In 2025 he won the Shaheen, then was away from the races until November, when he came back a winner.
The six-furlong Sprint drew a field of 13, with Dark Saffron in post 2 for trainer Ahmad bin Harmash and jockey Connor Beasley. The race has a true international flavor with runners from Japan, Korea, Dubai and of course the U. S.
Dark Saffron was bred in Kentucky by Brookdale Farm LLC and is out of Meadow Saffron, herself a two-time stakes winner.
Dark Saffron is the lifetime leading earner, at $2,532,531, for Flameaway and is one of three Grade 1 winners by the Darby Dan stallion. In 2026 Flameaway is in the top six on the Fourth-Crop sire list and has five stakes winners this year.
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint is race 8 on Saturday, with a scheduled post time of 3:42 pm ET.
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