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Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Jan. 12 (UPI) -- It's a slow week on the track but a flurry of news from Louisville to Riyadh makes for a warm equine hot stove league. Among developments, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia has announced an impressive entries list for the Feb. 23-24 Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
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And Churchill Downs has upped the purse for the 150th Kentucky Derby to $5 million from $3 million. A ritzy new venue should help pay for the hike.
There is some racing, primarily in the sunny, warm-weather parts of the country, which we'll get to after ...
Saudi Arabia
The roster of entries for the $37.6 million Saudi Cup weekend, highlighted by the $20 million Grade I Saudi Cup itself on Feb. 24, includes many of the world's top horses including the 1-2 finishers from the Breeders' Cup Classic, White Abarrio and Derma Sotagake, and Preakness winner National Treasure.
Other Americans on the list include Casa Creed, runner-up in the 1351 Turf Sprint in both 2022 and 2023, and Malibu Stakes winner Speed Boat Beach.
As always, the Japanese contingent is imposing. In addition to Derma Sotagake, it includes reigning Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro, Group 1 Champions Cup winner Lemon Pop, the 2023 winner of the 1351 Turf Sprint, Bathrat Leon, and Dubai Golden Shaheen victor Sibelius.
European entries include Group 1 or Grade I winners Luxembourg, Warm Heart, Mawj, Art Power, Simca Mille and Double Major.
HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Alfaisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said the organization is "honored to be part of the international racing family, with the positive benefits of this race weekend touching both a domestic and international audience.
"It is always a pleasure to meet so many people from all walks of life and corners of the globe who are brought together by one shared passion -- horseracing."
The caveat to all this: The races are free to enter and free to run so not all nominations are meant in earnest or likely to be selected into the fields.
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs has announced a multiyear naming rights deal with Sports Illustrated to brand a new "luxury dining experience" included in the ongoing $200 million renovation of the track's paddock area.
Originally designated the 1895 Club, the facility now will be Club SI and feature appropriate Sports Illustrated artwork and editorial décor.
Celebrity "ambassadors" are promised to rub elbows with the guests as they watch the saddling, walking ring ceremonies and parade out the tunnel to the track.
Club SI is slated to welcome its first paying guests on opening night of Derby week and the announcement promises "an elevated, exciting and more unique Derby weekend than ever available before."
As those horses parade away from Club SI and out to the track on the late afternoon of May 4, they will be set to run for a $5 million purse, pumped from $3 million.
The Kentucky Derby purse was $1 million from 1996-2004, $2 million until 2018 and $3 million from 2018 through last year.
"It is truly gratifying to view the steady growth of the Churchill Downs racing product and the entire Kentucky horse racing and breeding industry, which bettors around the world have embraced," said Churchill Downs president Mike Anderson.
Four-time Derby-winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas had a slightly different perspective, as reported by Bloodhorse: "They put it up there where it belongs, huh?"
Hong Kong / Qatar
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced three Hong Kong horses -- Russian Emperor, Senor Toba and Straight Arron -- have been entered in the local Group 1 H.H. The Amir Trophy in Doha, Qatar, set for Feb. 17.
Russian Emperor, a 7-year-old Galileo gelding, won the race last year but has only a single win from six subsequent starts in Dubai and Hong Kong.
Straight Arron was last seen finishing fourth, beaten less than 1 length, in the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 10.
Russian Emperor and Straight Arron also are entered in the Group 1 Stewards' Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse on Jan. 21, a race that looks tough enough even without Golden Sixty, who is nursing what's described as a minor injury.
And on the track, weather permitting:
Tampa Bay Downs
West Saratoga leads the way among seven set for Saturday's $125,000 Pasco Stakes for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs. The Exaggerator colt won the Grade III Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs in September, and then was fifth in the Grade I Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.
Book'em Danno won the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park in October and was second in the Nashua at Aqueduct in November.
Mystic Lake is the morning-line pick in an field of eight 3-year-old fillies entered for Saturday's $125,000 Gasparilla Stakes at 7 furlongs. She makes her first start since finishing third in the Grade III Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine Nov. 4.
Aqueduct
Shimmering Allure is the odds-on favorite as one of four 3-year-old fillies in Saturday's $200,000 Busanda Stakes. The Enticed filly finished second in the Grade II Demoiselle in her last start and won the listed Tempted Stakes before that.
Oaklawn Park
Saturday's $150,000 Mockingbird Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs attracted six entries and the oddsmaker had a hard time separating them. Watch and learn.
Santa Anita
Saturday's program is for state-breds and includes the $200,000 California Cup Derby and $200,000 California Cup Oaks, the $150,000 Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint, the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly/Mare Turf Sprint and the $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic.
Sunday's $100,000 Grade III Las Cienegas Stakes finds a full field of fillies and mares hurtling down the hillside turf course with plenty of chances to get some gold.
