Report: Engage travels, but to miss Saudi Cup day sprint
The herd of American horses in action on Saturday's inaugural Saudi Cup card thinned Monday when the Daily Racing Form reported Grade 2-winning sprinter Engage is out of the $1.5 million Saudia Sprint.
A 5-year-old son of Into Mischief trained by Steve Asmussen, Engage made the trip to King Andulaziz Racecourse, but assistant Scott Blasi told DRF the horse "had a little setback." A specific diagnosis is forthcoming upon his return to the United States.
"I don’t think it’s anything major," Blasi added to DRF, "but it’s in his best interest that we don’t run him."
Formerly a member of the Chad Brown barn, Engage won Parx's Bensalem Stakes and Keeneland's Phoenix (G2) the second half of last season upon the switch to Asmussen. Most recently, he finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint won by stablemate Mitole.
Engage was prominent in a Saudia Sprint field already without Shancelot, the Jorge Navarro trainee declared out before shipping overseas. Remaining Americans are multiple Grade 1 winner Imperial Hint, the likely favorite, and Captain Scotty, who won Santa Anita's Palos Verdes (G2) last out.
The Saudia Sprint goes one race before the likes of Maximum Security, McKinzie, Midnight Bisou, Mucho Gusto and Tacitus face off in the $20 million Saudi Cup, the world's richest horse race.
Entries and post positions will be finalized Wednesday.
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