Obliteration, the winner of the Grade 3 Renaissance Stakes, may be headed to the Middle East following a dominant performance on Saturday, trainer Steve Asmussen revealed Sunday morning. Back on dirt for the first time since August, Obliteration, ridden by Joel Rosario, claimed victory by seven and a half lengths.
Covering six furlongs in 1:10.03 on a fast track, Obliteration earned a provisional Beyer Speed rating of 90. The colt previously won the Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga last July by ten and a half lengths, achieving a career-high rating of 91.
“He’s a good horse,” said Asmussen. “I’m very proud of him and feel fortunate to have him. I’m excited to see what he can achieve moving forward.”
Asmussen mentioned that Obliteration is being considered for the $1.5 million Saudi Derby (G3), a 1,600-meter dirt race scheduled for February 14 at Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz Racecourse. This event is part of the Kentucky Derby qualifying series, offering points to the top five finishers on a scale of 30-15-9-6-3.
“We’re down to one turn,” Asmussen added, referencing a similar campaign to that of Cowan, who finished second in the 2021 Saudi Derby after placing second in the one-mile Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn earlier this year.
Obliteration has finished first or second in six of his seven races and is co-owned by Texan Leland Ackerley, who also campaigned Valid Expectations with Asmussen. Notably, Asmussen’s first Oaklawn Stakes win came in 1996 with Valid Expectations.
Obliteration entered the race as the 3.40 favorite, securing Asmussen’s 125th career Oaklawn Stakes victory. Later that day, Bourbon Bash won the $135,000 Commodore Overnight over six furlongs for older horses.
Fan Take: Obliteration’s impressive win and potential trip to the Saudi Derby highlight the growing international appeal of American thoroughbreds. This move could further elevate global competition and bring more attention to the sport, benefiting fans and stakeholders worldwide.
