Dark Saffron a Rare Breeders' Cup Runner From Dubai

For two consecutive seasons, Sultan Ali's Dark Saffron has defended his home track of Meydan Racecourse from foreign invaders in the United Arab Emirates' top dirt sprint race: the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). Now, the tables have turned as he is now the foreign invader traveling to the United States for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Oct. 31. Although, to be fair, Keeneland could also be considered home as the son of Flameaway was bred in Kentucky by Brookdale Farm. According to his trainer, Ahmad bin Harmash, he's settled right back in to the Bluegrass State since arriving in quarantine Oct. 21 and then at Keeneland Oct. 24. "He's settled in good, so we are happy with him," bin Harmash said Oct. 27. "He's been training very good, he's been quiet, settling down. He seems to like the area." Those two victories in the Golden Shaheen have come against world-class competition, including his 1 3/4-length triumph this March against reigning Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Bentornato. Still, the gelding has been overlooked at 20-1 on Saturday's morning line when he breaks from gate 2 with Connor Beasley aboard. Part of that lack of attention could be due to the fact Dark Saffron has not raced since that Golden Shaheen victory, a matter of circumstance based on the UAE's racing schedule. To avoid intense heat over the summer, there is no racing across the Emirates, their season typically going from the start of October through mid-April. So that long gap from the Shaheen to his next start is not uncommon, and bin Harmash was very pleased with the way he ran off the layoff between his Golden Shaheen victory in April 2025 and his 4 1/2-length return win in a conditions race the following November. "When he ran, he won it so easy," bin Harmash said of that conditions win. "The first race (off a layoff), he gives you everything. He's showed good racing in the first race when he's fresh." The Dubai Golden Shaheen was part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, paying his fees and giving him an automatic start in the Sprint. Knowing that he had a horse good enough for the race, he painted the target on Oct. 31 and brought the horse back into training at the end of May. They started off working him on the treadmill and have even trained him on some trails. When the weather was nice enough, he would go out and train at Jebel Ali Racecourse, which features a steep, uphill climb approaching the finish. "When we saw him fit 100%, we come with him," bin Harmash said. Due to the lack of summer racing to help prepare for the Breeders' Cup in the fall, horses who are full-time trained in Dubai are a rarity to participate despite many American, European, and Japanese-based Breeders' Cup runners having raced there during their careers. Yet, a glance at the past performances of this year's Breeders' Cup will show that gap from the spring to the Breeders' Cup is also present several Japanese runners. Although there is racing in Japan year-round, the major races typically take place in the fall, winter, and spring, giving their top-level horses a chance to take the summer off to avoid the heat. Japan has had success in recent Breeders' Cups, and it appears the rest of the world has taken notice that it is no longer a U.S. vs. Europe event. "We are looking at the Japanese," bin Harmash said. "The Japanese started to come here and do well; why not another country?" With Dubai now having "Win and You're In" races, bin Harmash said that trainers in the UAE should start considering the Breeders' Cup more often, and perform the proper game plan during the months in between. "We built a target and we knew were going to run in the Breeders' Cup. We've done all our plans since the end of May," bin Harmash said. "I believe anyone in the UAE, if you have a horse that qualifies for the Breeders' Cup, can do this target and come here." Bin Harmash is a lifelong horseman, working as an assistant for Mubarak bin Shafya before going out on his own in 2013. In addition to Dark Saffron, he won a second group 1 on the Dubai World Cup card this year with Native Approach (GB) taking the Al Quoz Sprint (G1T). This trip to the Breeders' Cup marks just the second time he will saddle a starter outside the UAE, having saddled Golden Vekoma to win the 2025 Saudi Derby (G3) in Saudi Arabia. Both Golden Vekoma and Dark Saffron are Kentucky-breds, with bin Harmash making annual visits to the Fasig-Tipton and Ocala Breeders' Sales 2-year-olds in training sales. After previously selling for $25,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, bin Harmash took notice of how well Dark Saffron galloped at the 2024 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. He went to $120,000 to secure Dark Saffron from the Julie Davies consignment. That ended up being a bargain buy as the gelding has now earned $2,532,531.