“It's been a long time since a country boy from Conway, Arkansas, has been invited to a race in a place like Saudi Arabia.” So says Alex Lieblong, who in partnership with his wife JoAnn bred and race Reef Runner, a homebred son of the couple's Grade I King's Bishop Stakes winner The Big Beast, who flies a bit beneath the radar, but looms a real chance in Saturday's $2-million G2 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. The Lieblongs, who have campaigned the likes of Grade I winners Telling (A.P. Indy), Embellish the Lace (Super Saver) and Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) in addition to The Big Beast, purchased Reef Runner's dam, Paradise Bay (Blame), for $350,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale. The acquisition occurred about six months after her half-sister, former 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Paradise Woods (Union Rags), took out the GI Santa Anita Oaks and the acquisition looked that much better when that filly defeated her elders in the GI Zenyatta Stakes a few weeks after the sale. Paradise Woods would go on to finish a sound third in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. “I love Blame as a broodmare sire and The Big Beast was extremely talented, he loved seven furlongs,” Lieblong said. “It's a better pedigree than it might look.” Reef Runner is trained for the Lieblongs by David Fawkes, who conditioned the $1.9-million earner Duke of Mischief (Graeme Hall) for the couple. And Lieblong says that the reports emanating from the Middle East are nothing short of glowing. “David has sent me pictures and I have to say, I think Reef Runner looks about as good as I've ever seen him. He's really sparkling,” said Lieblong, who flies from Dallas to the desert on Tuesday. “All the reports are good. I can tell it in David's voice when it's good or bad and it's all good right now. I haven't received any negative vibes at all.” Alex Lieblong | Fasig-Tipton Reef Runner has amassed a record of 5-4-4 from 16 starts in turf sprints and–with the exception of the 2024 Mahony Stakes at Saratoga–has never run a truly poor race on the surface. Also a stakes winner on the synthetic track at Gulfstream Park, the bay put together his best season in 2025. First past the post,but demoted to the runner-up spot in the 'Win and You're In' five-furlong GIII Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar in August, he came running late to take the GIII Eddie D. Stakes down the hill at Santa Anita Sept. 27. As short as 13-2 for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 1, he was scarcely disgraced in fourth behind 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Shisospicy (Mitole) and will be making his first start since annexing the Janus Stakes going five-eighths over the Gulfstream turf course Dec. 20 (video). Lieblong feels that the added real estate of this weekend's race very much works in favor of Reef Runner, who picks up the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. with the defection from the 1351 of Shisospicy. “I really like the distance for the horse,” he said. “Five furlongs for what he does is a little tough sometimes. To make up as much ground as he does, that is tricky going that distance. [Lieblong trainer] Steve Hobby was watching that last race from Florida and says 'there's no way he was ever going to get up.' But he did.” A victory on Saturday could lead to something of a Lieblong family reunion in Dubai for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint in six weeks' time. “I promised my son if he wins that we'll keep him over there and then the whole family can go to Dubai,” Lieblong said. “If the grandkids can get out of college, we'll bring them too.” But first things first. And win, lose or draw, Lieblong is excited not only about the opportunity that lies ahead, but to also experiencing a new port of call. “I am looking forward to every bit of it,” he said. “I'm one of these guys that likes to look around and observe, that's what I feed off of. I just think it's going to be a neat experience. We're looking forward to it and we're just really grateful for the invitation.” The post Reef Runner Ready To Roll In 1351 Turf Sprint appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dismissal: On September 8, 2015, the Judicial Control Authority (JCA) dismissed the serious racing offence charges, labeling the evidence "bordering on the hopeless".

i get the impression from watching menagle mile racing that the likes of leap to fame and swayzee will normally get beaten over a mile at menagle,no matter how good they are,if they try and sit parked and wear the leader down. . if they are handed the lead early then they will win. i'm talking over a mile.remember cya art did that last year in the len smith mile when kingman was poorly rated by r morris and had the foot down the whiole race and the likes of swayzee was always strugglng. pinseeker would have to improve to be able to sling shot the better ones,but grimson improves nearly every horse he trains so logically he would be likely to do the same with pinseeker if he were to train him.Personally i think pinseeker best kept to sprints.  better than cash was a good horse here but not as good as pinseeker. captain mistress to me has improved quite a bit since going to aussie.  The evidence was there the way it won its last start,beating mccarthys good mare who i thought was australias best. Captain mistess just jogged really,really fast last part of race and looked like it could have gione another round at the same speed and beaten the others by half the length of straight had the driver wanted to. It was very good here,but never that good.Thats my opinion anyway.  personally i think were they tio run the miracle mile this week my nameisjeff would be the obvious winner. He ran the 2nd fastest last 1/4 ever last week and had no trouble picking up don hugo who also flew a fast last 400m/ Laep to fame or swayzee and even kingman not as fast as himynameisjeff. His form seems to have been up and down for grimson but he ears just a big track horse and i don't know why they try him on small tracks as he never seems comfortable on them. personally i think grimson has something that makes them run faster. some of those times at albion park do seem amazing.but as you say,lots of horses there seem to run them.

Who else has tried it?

There are some individuals that are active participants in the industry that constantly make degrading and abusive comments" You keep saying this but where's the evidence? @Chief Stipe you say you hide them, presumably because they are that in your opinion. And @hesi, if you "draw a line". Where? And how do you action or enforce it? Otherwise, it's just a further meaningless waste of time.