March Rankings | 2025 Longines World's Best Racehorse | Top Five

And they're off in the Santa Anita Handicap, presented by Yamaha Resort and Casino. And Miramate comes out running, so does Midnight Mammoth, no surprise in the opening stages. JB strikes back, comes away in third. Locked is much closer than maybe some expected. He's fourth and four lengths off the lead. Down at the rail, Express Train is next. Three lengths in front of Katona. New King is down at the rail. Hits show three wide and last. Seven lengths covered the field. Juan Hernandez and Miramate to set the tempo. Leading by a length and a half. Midnight Mammoth is in second. JB strikes back outside of him as Express Train is willing. He's right on the heels of Miramate. In fact, trying to get inside of him as they come to the six furlong pole. New King is now in fifth. Five lengths off his stablemate. Locked is three deep. Katona right next to hit show. The pace is reasonable. And it's Miramate in charge onto the backstretch. Leads it by a length over Midnight Mammoth in second. Express Train has settled down third. JB strikes back fourth. New King and Locked are stride for stride coming to the half mile pole. Katona is down at the rail and hit show. There hasn't been much change. In fact, no change in the running order. Miramate takes them past the half mile pole. Midnight Mammoth asked to put some pressure on the front runner in second and then Express Train at the rail third. JB strikes back the first to come under serious pressure as Express Train makes his move on the inside. Express Train and Midnight Mammoth swarming in on Miramate as they come to the quarter pole. And Express Train is the new leader in the big gap. Midnight Mammoth, Miramate, Locked is unwinding. He's coming with a huge run on the outside as the field turns for home. Locked is let loose and he moves to the front with a furlong left to go and it's lights out. He's pouring it on. Express Train, a belated rally from hit show, but it's all about Locked and Jose Ortiz dominating the big gap, cruising home to an effortless eight length romp. Express Train was second, hit show finished third, Midnight Mammoth was fourth. They're off in the Pegasus World Cup. Locked was a step slow to get going, last to break. Excellent start for Saudi Crown from down toward the inside and Florent Giroux will send Saudi Crown right to the top. Stronghold comes away in second with an inside lane, it's Mixto into third. Brian Hernandez Jr. in the Kentucky Derby winner Mystic Dan up close to the action. He's now third in the green cap. It's a length and a half to the gray white Abario racing outside of Newgrange. Then it's the team of Locked and Skippy Longstocking. They've gone four ahead of Power Squeeze, well back early are Krupy and Steel Sunshine. They complete the opening quarter in 23-2. It's not flying, it's not crawling either. Saudi Crown has the lead by a length and a half. Mystic Dan races on the outside of a second running to Stronghold, moving out the rail and forth is Mixto. Then it's a well settled way to Abario. He's the gray, he's in the clear, and he's only about two lengths off the pace setter. Newgrange is next. He's racing about five lengths behind with Skippy Longstocking to his inside. Then it's a two length margin to Locked. He spots the leader about six and a half lengths, working four in front of Steel Sunshine, then Power Squeeze and Krupy is last. They went the opening half mile in 46-3 and they swing around the far turn. Saudi Crown yet to face a threat. He's a length and a half in front with three furlongs to go. White Abario makes his move into second now. Moving up toward the inside, that's Stronghold from between horses, Mystic Dan, but he's dropping back, trying to get underway as Locked. The favorite has a lot to do. He's warming to the task, seven lengths off the lead, but the grays are one-two. And here comes Florida Derby champ, White Abario, looming up on the outside and he powers right by Saudi Crown. White Abario is opening up with an eighth of a mile to go. Back to second is Saudi Crown, Skippy Longstocking and Locked are next, but this is a tour de force of Pegasus World Cup to add to his Florida Derby and Breeders' Cup resume. White Abario, sharp in victory. Up for second is Locked, back to third with Skippy Longstocking. It's closer fourth. Mixto might have got up. And they're ready. Off at the 1400, he was second away. Ka-Ying Rising, California Spangle beat him out. Invincible Sage will make a line of three. Red Lion's running fourth, Helios Express fifth, and How Deep Is Your Love is on the inside. Then Patch of Theta, Beauty Eternal and Moogans, two and a half lengths away last of all. California Spangle is going to hold out, Ka-Ying Rising. Invincible Sage is running third and three lengths to Red Lion fourth. Two lengths to Helios Express around How Deep Is Your Love from Patch of Theta. Beauty Eternal second last on the inside and Moogan, he's a length and a half away last of all. California Spangle at a slow clip, leads half a length. Ka-Ying Rising to his out of second. Invincible Sage third, the rail. Red Lion fourth follows the fave. Then the stable mates, How Deep Is Your Love and Helios Express. Three wide Patch of Theta from Beauty Eternal and Moogan is last of all. It's California Spangle, 400 metres to go and his first try at 1400 metres though. Ka-Ying Rising goes up to take the lead off him. Helios Express now two lengths away. Then Patch of Theta. It's Ka-Ying Rising. Karras has to get busy. He's a length over Helios Express and then came How Deep Is Your Love. Ka-Ying Rising is in front of Helios Express. 1400 metres. No worries. Ka-Ying Rising wins it from either Helios Express or How Deep Is Your Love. Then California Spangle and Beauty Eternal. Next in Red Lion from Invincible Sage. Patch of Theta and Moogan is the last one out. To the best of North America, the best of Europe, the Saudi Cup, 20 million dollars, Richard Oils. And they're away for the Saudi Cup in a slow way. And early on it is Walk of Stars who moves forward. Romantic Warrior jumped well and just moves off the rail to get some clear daylight and avoid the kickback. Looking for Forever Young who's broken well and is right across the field as well. Al Musmak is racing in a handy position with Defunded through the first 200. They're being followed by Ramjet and also there is Wait to Excel. As last year, Oshbat Azoro's the one off the back end. Also towards the back at this stage is Rattled and Roll well behind as they make their way through the first 400 metres. Forever Young in the maroon colours but it's Al Musmak towards the outside with Defunded and right there on the running rails, Walk of Stars. Romantic Warrior tracks them in fifth place, Pale Blue racing on the inside of Wait to Excel. Then Ramjet wider out. The white cab of El Codigo. Factor Cheval is at the back of that leading group on the outside of Wilson Tesoro. Then behind those is Intense for Me. Still a gap back to Wooden Sun. Rattle and Roll well back on Oshbat Azoro as Romantic Warrior moves off the running rail as they approach the bend. So out in the lead, Forever Young on the outside disputing it with Walk of Stars right round the outside. Romantic Warrior will be five wide into the turn but he's poised under James McDonald as the big two move through. Forever Young, Romantic Warrior sweeps up on the outside for Hong Kong. They lock horns and it's Romantic Warrior who finds most initially from Forever Young in second place. The two of them are clear from Wilson Tesoro and Factor Cheval. Two of the great race horses in the world and at the moment Romantic Warrior holds sway as rider looks across. Forever Young is trying to close and he's beginning to do so. Romantic Warrior from the outside. Forever Young has got to within three parts of a leg. Romantic Warrior, Forever Young, a race for the ages and Forever Young rounds off a terrific night for Japan. Runs down Romantic Warrior and breaks Hong Kong hearts. Back in third place, Oshbat Azoro, Rattle and Roll from the back. Wilson Tesoro next with Ramjet. Then behind those, Walk of Stars dropped out. Defunded Nel Codigo. A stretch duel for the ages where Romantic Warrior went first but couldn't repel Forever Young who ran him down in the final 50 meters.