Arcature up by a head in Singletary Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Arcature held off a late threat from Tristan’s Trilogy to win the first stakes of his career in Saturday’s $78,345 Singletary Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Arcature ($3.40) had an uneventful trip in the Singletary, which drew a field of six. The colt stalked pacesetter Mr. Roary through modest fractions of 23.76 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.03 before taking the lead with three-eighths of a mile remaining.

Prat had Arcature two lengths in front with a furlong remaining before Tristan’s Trilogy closed well to miss by a head. Arcature was timed in 1:35.95.

“I think he began to idle in front,” winning trainer Simon Callaghan said.

Lucky Bryan finished third, in his first start since finishing fourth in the Zuma Beach Stakes here last October. Mr. Roary finished fourth, followed by Unapologetic and Opportunistic.

Arcature, by Archarcharch, has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $105,170. Owned by Arnold Zetcher, Arcature was fourth in the Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf in his stakes debut in March and second in an optional claimer here on April 3. Arcature beat maidens in his debut in a one-mile turf race at Del Mar last August, his only start at 2.

The colt was purchased for $250,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ sale of 2-year-olds in-training in April 2015.

Callaghan said Arcature will be pointed for the turf stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar this summer, a three-race series that begins with the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at a mile on July 15, the first day of the summer meeting.