Arzak came flying down the stretch under Joel Rosario and ran on to post an authoritative two-length victory in the $337,875 Woodford Stakes (G2T) Oct. 7 at Keeneland.
Our Shot nosed out Beer Can Man for second at the end of the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf while Cinderella story British invader Live In The Dream faded from the lead but held on to finish an encouraging fourth in the first U.S. start for the gelding and his connections.
The early speed set things up nicely for the finish. Rosario watched Live In The Dream set blazing early fractions and bided his time while running mid-pack. He got a clear run outside and quickly blew by the pacesetter when the field hit a stiff headwind in the homestretch.
Owned by Sonata Stable and trained by Michael Trombetta, Arzak, a 5-year-old son of Not This Time, was an 11-1 surprise in the Woodford. The previous highlight of his career came with a victory in the 2022 Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) on the all-weather track at Woodbine. He finished sixth in that same event to start his 2023 campaign May 14 before switching back to the turf.
He was second in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint at Laurel Park and a close-up seventh at the same distance on the Saratoga Race Course grass in July, then got his first win in nearly 17 months at Saratoga Aug. 23.
Sign up for BloodHorse Daily
“It looked like they were really putting a good pace in front of him,” Rosario said, “so I just stayed there and then kicked him on to finish. It was very easy for him. I rode him before, and he always tries really, really hard. He’s a good horse.”
Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Our Shot, said the 4-year-old Kantharos gelding “broke alertly, put me in a good spot. They were rolling up front so I just tried to sit and wait. (Arzak) looked like he got the jump on us today but nothing to hang our heads down about that horse.”
Live In The Dream was a wild card in the Woodford. The 4-year-old son of Prince of Lir earned a “Win and You’re In” spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) with a 28-1 upset victory in the Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York in the north of England Aug. 15. In that race, Live In The Dream got home ahead of star European sprinters Highfield Princess and Bradsell .
The gelding, his young jockey Sean Kirrane, trainer Adam West, and owners Steve and Jolene DeLemos were all new at the sport’s top level and using the Woodford as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup. It was the first American race for all of them. The public bought in a well, making him the 7-2 favorite.
Kirrane booted Live In the Dream right out to the lead through a quarter-mile in :20.97 and held the advantage into the stretch before being swallowed up. He and West both said conditions worked against him.
“The 5 1/2 furlongs, the headwind and the deep track all were against him,” Kirrane said. “On a sharper track at the straight five (furlongs), he will do well.”
West said Live In The Dream “delivered everything we hoped for today, everything we wanted to see … When we get to Santa Anita, he will be hard to catch.”
Watch: West Keen to Pursue Breeders’ Turf Sprint
Bred in Kentucky by John C. Oxley, Arzak was one of two big winners on the turf Saturday at Keeneland for Not This Time , who also had Up to the Mark win the Turf Mile Stakes (G1T). Not This Time stood the 2023 season for $135,000 at Taylor Made Stallions near Nicholasville, Ky.
Leave feedback about this