The 2026 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse is not a race where you casually take the favorite and move on. It is a $20 million international championship on dirt at 1800 meters with a full 14-horse field. That means pace pressure, traffic risk, and serious volatility.
This is exactly the kind of race where ticket construction matters more than simply picking the “best horse.” Let’s break it down like professionals.
Before betting on the Saudi Cup, you handicap the likely flow.
That’s important because this is not a one-dimensional race where the favorite wires the field uncontested. There are enough quality runners to make this honest early. And honest pace creates opportunity.
Forever Young at 7-5 is the most accomplished horse. No debate.
But betting is not about who is best. It is about who is best relative to price.
Nysos at 4-1 offers that edge.
Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Flavien Prat, he exits strong form, has tactical versatility, and draws Gate 12. Casual bettors see “wide.” Handicappers see clean air and trip control.
At 4-1, he only needs to win 20 percent of the time to justify the number long term. In this field, that’s realistic.
If he wins, you are paid properly. If he runs second to the favorite, you pivot to exactas.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, Forever Young is the defending champion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner.
Gate 6 is ideal. His running style fits the distance perfectly. He does not need the lead but can sit close and strike.
But 7-5 is a short price in a 14-horse race.
This is not a horse you lean on heavily for profit. This is a horse you protect against.
This limits damage if he simply proves superior.
The two strongest win profiles are:
These are the logical top-two combinations.
Total cost: $4
If Nysos wins and Forever Young runs second, you maximize value because the short-priced favorite finishes underneath.
If Forever Young wins and Nysos runs second, you still cash a respectable payout.
This is your foundational play.
Now we look for horses that can hit the board without necessarily winning.
Trained by Brad Cox with Junior Alvarado, he enters in peak form with multiple consecutive wins.
At 6-1, you are getting a horse who is sharp and improving. He fits the distance and projects a stalking trip.
He is extremely usable in second and third.
Also from Baffert’s barn with Irad Ortiz Jr., Nevada Beach was narrowly beaten by Nysos and owns consistent dirt credentials.
At 5-1, he is not just a fringe contender. He is alive.
He is especially dangerous if the pace gets contested and he can grind late.
Instead of guessing blindly, structure tickets intelligently.
First: Nysos / Forever Young
Second: Nysos / Forever Young
Third: Bishops Bay / Nevada Beach
That’s 4 combinations at $2 each.
Total: $8
If one of the value horses runs third, the payout expands meaningfully.
If Nysos wins and Bishops Bay runs third behind Forever Young, you get paid well.
You do not ignore a 40-1 horse in a race with international depth.
Sunrise Zipangu drew the rail and has shown flashes of competitiveness at major levels.
At 40-1, he is not a win bet.
He is a chaos multiplier.
First: Nysos / Forever Young
Second: Nysos / Forever Young
Third: Bishops Bay / Nevada Beach
Fourth: Sunrise Zipangu
Even with a $1 base, this structure can return a serious payout if the longshot sneaks into fourth.
Here’s a balanced, realistic approach:
Total: $20
This plan gives you:
You just need to be right at the right number.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
