The Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby picked up an exciting new player in unbeaten Al Haram, U.S. shippers swept the $2 million sprints, and more from Saudi Cup Day.

Odds-on favorite Shin Emperor wired Saturday’s Neom Turf Cup (G2), kicking off a clean sweep of the Saudi Cup Day turf stakes for Japan.

Forever Young, Remake, Spirit Dancer, Tower of London, and Annaf won on the Saudi Cup undercard.

Before Panthalassa capped the day in the Saudi Cup (G1), Japan scored two lucrative wins on turf with Bathrat Leon and Silver Sonic, and British raider Mostahdaf romped in the Neom Turf Cup (G3).

Bob Baffert’s dynamic duo of Taiba and Country Grammer will try to have the angles covered between them in Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup (G1).

Jockey Christophe Lemaire opened Saudi Cup Day with a triple aboard Japanese shippers in the turf races. Neom Turf Cup favorite Authority and Red Sea Turf H. outsider Stay Foolish benefited from enterprising frontrunning rides, while Songline rallied with a perfectly-timed move in the 1351 Turf Sprint.

The rich Saudi Cup program includes three turf stakes, all upgraded to international Group 3 status for Saturday. The 1351 Turf Sprint caters to the speed brigade, the Neom Turf Cup suits the middle-distance types, and the Red Sea Turf H. is a prize for stayers.