Saudi Crown

Saudi Crown (foaled February 20, 2020) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who has won the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby as a three-year-old in 2023.

Background
Saudi Crown is a gray or roan colt that was bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club. Saudi Crown is the progeny of Always Dreaming, the 2017 Kentucky Derby who entered stud in 2019 and has two crops of racing age. Saudi Crown is Always Dreaming's first graded winner. In 2023 Always Dreaming was standing for $10,000 at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. Saudi Crown is out from an unraced Tapit mare New Narration. He is one of two winners from as many foals of racing age from his dam, the other being Westphal (Exaggerator).

Saudi Crown has twice been through auctions. As a yearling he was sold at the 2021 Keeneland January Mixed Sale for $45,000. At the 2022 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. Pedro Lanz, agent for Faisal Mohammed Alqahtani of FMQ Stables, acquired him there for $240,000 when consigned by Top Line Sales.

Saudi Crown is trained by Brad H. Cox.

Career highlights
Saudi Crown did not race as a two-year-old and had his first start as a three-year-old in April at Keeneland winning a Maiden Special Weight event over six furlongs. Due to his late development Saudi Crown did not start in any of the Triple Crown events.

On July 1, 2023, Saudi Crown was a nose short in a defeat to Fort Bragg in the G3 Dwyer Stakes over a mile at Belmont Park.

On July 29, 2023, on a sloppy track, Saudi Crown was defeated by a nose by Forte in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

On September 23, 2023, Saudi Crown led throughout on a sloppy track at Parx Racing to win the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby by $1/2$ length defeating Dreamlike with Il Miracolo in third place.

Statistics
Notes: An (*) asterisk after the odds means Saudi Crown was the post-time favorite.

Pedigree

 * Saudi Crown is inbred 4s x 4d to Unbridled and 4s x 4d to Storm Cat.