Premium Tap Will Not Return to U.S.

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A disappointed John Kimmel confirmed Wednesday that Premium Tap, runner-up to Invasor in the $6-million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), will remain in Saudi Arabia to point for next year’s King's Cup, which the colt won this year, and possibly another try at the World Cup.

All Kimmel would say is that the horse’s owner, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, has decided against returning the son of Pleasant Tap to the United States, and will keep him in Saudi Arabia. Kimmel says he doesn’t know who will train the horse or if he even will start again this year.

King Abdullah purchased Premium Tap last year from George “Bud” Kline, Peter Alevizos, and David Whelihan, with the goal of winning Saudi Arabia’s most prestigious race, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, also known as the King’s Cup, run at a mile and a half.

Premium Tap won the race off a three-month layoff, and then ran a game second in the Dubai World Cup, setting all the early pace and giving way grudgingly to Invasor.

Kimmel said Premium Tap came out of the World Cup as good as ever.

Last year, the colt won the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) and Clark Handicap (gr. I) and was third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (gr. I) for his previous owners.

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