Al Haram and the Moment of Ultimate Emotion for Ricardo Sousa

The Portuguese jockey reached the pinnacle, guiding the colt to victory in the Saudi Derby (G3) at Riyadh, securing vital points for the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Ricardo Sousa, still in the irons of Al Haram / JCSA

By Diego H. Mitagstein (Special Correspondent for Turf Diario in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (From a special correspondent).– As the dust began to settle on the King Abdulaziz home straight, a new star among the 3-year-olds was born. Simultaneously, the most brilliant chapter in the career of Portuguese jockey Ricardo Sousa Ferreira was written. The victory of Al Haram (Iffraaj) in the Saudi Derby (G3-1,600m, dirt, $1.5 million purse) was not just another win; it was, without question, the greatest international achievement of the Lusitanian rider’s career.

The race featured all the elements of a grand finale. The American challenger Obliteration (Violence), trained by Steve Asmussen, broke sharp from post 7 and set the early tempo. Floated to his outside was Japan’s Satono Voyage (Into Mischief), traveling comfortably and waiting for the right moment to strike.

Upon entering the stretch, Keita Tosaki made his move, and the Japanese contender hit the front. Obliteration fought back along the rail, and the duel seemed set between the two in a classic U.S.-Japan showdown. However, quietly from the back of the pack, Al Haram was weaving his own destiny.

Ferreira had positioned him in mid-pack, showing patience and aware that his colt is not explosive from the gates but possesses a relentless, grinding progression. “He doesn’t break well, but he goes step by step,” the jockey would later explain. When he angled him to the outside in the straight, the Irish-bred shifted gears with a force that surprised even his rider.

“When we got to the outside, it was incredible. With 400 meters to go, I thought I could win,” Ferreira confessed. He was right. In the final 50 meters, Al Haram swept past his rivals to win by 1 1/4 lengths, clocking a time of 1:38.45 and keeping his undefeated record intact: four starts, four wins.

For the Portuguese jockey, accustomed to grinding out results in demanding circuits far from the global spotlight, it was an explosion of emotion. “I think he is the best horse I’ve ever ridden in my life,” he stated bluntly. “He improved race after race. This was the goal for the weekend, and we achieved it. It’s a dream.”

Representing the ownership family, Sheikh Faisal Al Sabah did not hesitate to look toward the future: “He is a champion, an incredible horse. Hopefully, the next step is the UAE Derby and, if all goes well, the Kentucky Derby.”

Left behind were the laments of Joel Rosario—“I thought I had it, but that horse came from the clouds”—and the pride of the Obliteration camp, who valued the immense effort. Satono Voyage completed the trifecta after sticking to the planned strategy.

But the night belonged to one clear protagonist. Al Haram confirmed he is a colt with an international horizon. And Ricardo Sousa Ferreira found in Riyadh the consecration every jockey dreams of: winning a major race on the world stage with a horse that promises to keep writing history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqpwQLTL8VI