Arabian Lion Romps in Sir Barton Stakes
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BALTIMORE – Arabian Lion had just crossed the finish line a four-length winner of Saturday’s $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes and trainer Bob Baffert’s first thought was “I should have run him in the Preakness.”
Baffert didn’t think Arabian Lion off his last two races was ready for the Preakness. But after his dominant, front-running victory in the Sir Barton, Arabian Lion may have earned his way to the Belmont Stakes on June 10.
“I think the Belmont’s a possibility,” Baffert said. “This is my Paynter move.”
In 2012, Paynter won an allowance race at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard then came within a neck of winning the Belmont Stakes, losing to Union Rags.
Baffert had always liked Arabian Lion, in part because physically the horse reminds him of his sire, Justify, the 2018 Triple Crown winner whom Baffert trained. But a fourth in the Robert Lewis in February and a second in the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland in April prompted Baffert to point to the Sir Barton instead of the Preakness.
“I thought he couldn’t lose the Lexington the way he was working,” Baffert said. “He made the lead and he was looking around and so I was just like ‘how did he get beat?’ He came back and worked really nice. I think that race helped him.”
In the Sir Barton, Arabian Lion broke hard under John Velazquez, slightly bobbling, but he got to the front and had a clear lead through a quarter in 24.47 seconds, a half-mile in 48.13, and six furlongs in 1:11.22.
Tapit’s Conquest, the second choice under Luis Saez, tried to come to him at the quarter pole, but Velazquez had plenty of horse and ran away from him in the stretch.
Arabian Lion, owned by Zedan Racing, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.13 and returned $2.80 as the heavy favorite. He was given a 103 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He’s such a beautiful horse, he’s a smaller version of Justify but I think he’s just starting to wake,” Baffert said. “What I saw today; that time was pretty impressive.”
Velazquez rode Arabian Lion in the Robert Lewis and “it didn’t seem like he wanted to go two turns,” said Velazquez, who didn’t ride him in the Lexington.
“He’s a different horse from two starts back,” Velazquez said. “He’s definitely bigger and stronger.”
Tapit’s Conquest finished second by 6 1/2 lengths over Denington. Sheriff Ronnie and Feeling Woozy completed the order of finish. Masterwork scratched.
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