Bet Fountain of Youth (G2), Saudi Cup Saturday at Laurel

Bet Fountain of Youth (G2), Saudi Cup Saturday at Laurel

Doors Open 10 A.M., First of Eight Live Races 12:25 P.M.

LAUREL, MD – In addition to a live program of eight races, fans can watch and wager on both the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) and $20 million Saudi Cup Saturday at Laurel Park.

Laurel will open its doors at 10 a.m. with a live first-race post time of 12:25 p.m.

Simulcasting of the Kingdom Day card from King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia begins in Race 5 with a 10:30 a.m. post time, followed by the $800,000 Saudi Derby Cup Mile in Race 6 (11:10 a.m.), $1.5 million Saudi Sprint Cup in Race 7 (11:50 a.m.) and Saudi Cup in Race 8 (12:40 p.m.)

Four-time Grade 1 winner and $2.2 million earner Imperial Hint, whose first of seven career graded-stakes victories came in the 2017 General George (G3) at Laurel, is the 4-5 program favorite in a field of 13 for the six-furlong Saudi Sprint.

The 1 1/8-mile Saudi Cup attracted a field of 15 older horses led by 5-2 program favorite Maximum Security, winner of the 2019 Florida Derby (G1), and Bob Baffert-trained stablemates McKinzie, a four-time Grade 1 winner of more than $3 million, and Mucho Gusto, exiting a victory in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 25.

Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. is serving up a blockbuster 14-race program Saturday featuring 10 stakes, nine graded, worth $1.95 million anchored by the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth for 3-year-olds, the last local prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

First-race post time Saturday at Gulfstream is 11:30 a.m. Post time for the Fountain of Youth (Race 14) is 6:04 p.m.

Other stakes at Gulfstream are the $100,000 Hutcheson for 3-year-olds in Race 3, $150,000 Palm Beach (G3) on turf in Race 4, $150,000 Honey Fox (G3) on turf in Race 5, $150,000 The Very One on turf in Race 7, $150,000 Herecomesthebride (G3) on turf in Race 9, $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) for 3-year-old fillies in Race 10, $150,000 Canadian Turf (G3) in Race 11, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) in Race 12 and $200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2) on turf in Race 13.

Saturday’s feature at Laurel Park comes in Race 7, a $45,000 optional claiming allowance for 4-year-olds and up led by 2019 Maryland Million Classic winner Forest Fire, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, and 5-2 program favorite Pretty Good Year, third in the 2019 Maryland Million Turf.