Aldrin, $1 million purchase, wins maiden in seventh start

Seven-figure purchase Aldrin finally broke through with the first win of his career in a maiden special weight race Friday on the Tampa Bay Downs turf, making the pace and then holding off a rallying Extreme Justice to win in his seventh start.

Aldrin, by Malibu Moon, topped the 2014 Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds in training at $1 million, selling to the partnership of Gainesway, Mt. Brilliant Farm, and Robert LaPenta. The ridgling is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner and two-time leading sire Tapit and is bred on the same A.P. Indy-line cross.

Aldrin made his first five starts on dirt, with runner-up efforts to Frosted and The Truth or Else when those two won their maidens. Trainer Chad Brown then switched Aldrin to turf, where he ran a good third prior to his breakthrough win.