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Feb. 10 (UPI) -- The ranks of Kentucky Derby contenders continued to swell with impressive weekend performances in Florida and New York, while the American contingent headed for the rich Saudi Cup program dwindled precipitously. Wild Bout Hilary won the Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park and There Goes Harvard got a rare victory in the San Marcos at Santa Anita.
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Let's have a look.
The Road to the Roses
John Hancock ran his record to 2-for-2 with a hard-won victory in Saturday's $250,000 Sam F. Davis and ran his way right onto the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" leaderboard.
The Constitution colt, trained by Brad Cox, led throughout while being pressured closely by Owen Almighty.
The two favorites separated from the rest of the field in the stretch and came to even terms before John Hancock found just a little extra to win by 1/2 length. Previously undefeated Remsen Stakes winner Poster finished third.
The won vaulted John Hancock into a six-way tie for the third through eighth spots on the Derby standings.
Sand Devil, the overwhelming odds-on favorite, showed the way in Saturday's $125,000 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds at Aqueduct, dueled with National Identity in the closing yards and won by a neck over that rival. Three others were well back.
The Road to the Oaks
La Cara hadn't run since finishing a well-beaten fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies but was taking no prisoners in Saturday's $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Street Sense filly, winner of the Grade III Pocahontas at Churchill Downs last fall, jumped right out of the starting gate, met all challenges and accelerated away from the field through the stretch to win by 6 1/4 lengths.
She earned 20 points on the "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" leaderboard, jumping her into a tie with Tenma for the top spot.
Distaff
Wild Bout Hilary took an easy lead in Saturday's $250,000 Grade III Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park, took her time about things and had just enough left at the end to hold off Free Like a Girl by a head for the win.
The odds-on favorite, Loved, finished another 1/2 length back in third.
Wild Bout Hilary, a 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute, got 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:44.15 with C.J. McMahon riding for trainer Tanner Tracy. The filly was making her first graded stakes start.
Sprint
Nutella Fella was up late to win Saturday's $125,000 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs by a neck over Caramel Chip. Trainer Gary Contessa said he likely would accept an invitation to the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on World Cup night if one were on offer.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Nic's Style put her nose in front of pacesetter Dazzling Blue at the finish of Saturday's $125,000 Minarette Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Hollygrove led most of the way to victory in Saturday's $125, 000 Valdale Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Turfway Park.
Turf
There Goes Harvard led early in Saturday's $130,000 Grade III San Marcos at Santa Anita, turned back a challenge from Lord Bullington and kicked away to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Easter edged Lord Bullington for second with a belated run from the back of the field.
There Goes Harvard, with Frankie Dettori in the kip, ran 1 1/4 miles on firm turf, starting on the hillside course, in 1:59.87. It was his first win since the 2022 Hollywood Gold Cup.
"When I looked at the form, I saw there wasn't particularly a lot of speed," Dettori said. "I took the chance to go forward. I got a nice, easy lead. On the backstretch, I took him off the rail a little bit and he was playing with his ears. It was great."
Turf Sprint
Odds-on favorite Casalu dueled with long shot Practical Dream down the hillside course in Sunday's $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, got by that one after crossing the dirt course and got clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
Epona's Hope took the lead early in Saturday's $140,000 Ladies Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park, made all the going and held on to win by a head over the odds-on favorite, Just a Care.
Around the world, around the clock
Saudi Arabia
The American contingent for the Feb. 21-22 Saudi Cup program was disappearing so fast during the past week that even Saudi officials couldn't keep up.
The official announcement of the "likely fields" trumpeted Grade I Pegasus World Cup winner White Abarrio as a prime contender for the $20 million Group 1 Cup itself. But White Abarrio had been ruled out by his owners just hours before the announcement.
Two other U.S. prospects, Locked and Soul of an Angel, also were scrubbed from the list within days leaving only Rattle N Roll, who won the "Win and You're In" Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Stakes.
The race, however, still shapes up as a global blockbuster even without any top-level Americans.
Hong Kong's superstar, Romantic Warrior, will seek his 11th Group 1 victory and Japan's Forever Young, winner of the 2024 Saudi Derby, returns from his third-place finish in November's Breeders' Cup Classic.
Japanese connections also send top-flight dirt runners Ramjet, Ushba Tesoro and Wilson Tesoro and French entry Facteur Cheval looks poised to compete with the best.
The dearth of American runners extends to other races on the program. Trainer Bob Baffert's Getaway Car was scratched from the likely field for the Group 3 Saudi Derby, leaving only Cyclone State, an Iowa-bred colt trained by Chad Summers, to represent the USA in the race.
The rest of the American team, as of Monday, consists of Straight No Chaser in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint and Howard Wolowitz in the 1351 Turf Sprint. That's it, folks.
Australia
Another Wil, with a perfectly timed ride by Jamie Melham, got by Mr Brightside inside the final 50 meters to win Saturday's Group 1 C F Orr Stakes at Caulfield by a long neck.
The 101st running of the 1,400-meter event was the initial top-level score for Another Wil, a 5-year-old Street Boss gelding. Trainer Ciaron Maher said Another Wil will be pointed to the Group 1 Futurity at the same course and distance Feb. 22.
A year ago, Mr Brightside completed that double.
