Arlington: Sharp Impact delivers

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - His odds just kept falling lower and lower - 6-5 at post time - and then Sharp Impact showed why. Finishing resolutely under jockey Ray Sibille, Sharp Impact beat the Illinois-bred Wiggins by three-quarters of a length in the $75,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes.

It was the first stakes win at Arlington for Godolphin Racing, the powerful international stable that started running an Arlington string last summer. With a solid debut win here July 18, Sharp Impact showed he was one of the more forward 2-year-olds in the Arlington barn, and he was ably pointed to the Spectacular Bid by Davey Duggan, assistant trainer to Eoin Harty.

Always close to a quick pace set by Bold America, Sibille asked Sharp Impact for his run turning for him and got what he was looking for.

"They said just wait and wait and he'll show you some running," Sibillie said. "And from the eighth pole home, he really did."

Wiggins ran well in defeat, rallying from third to clearly finish second, a length in front of the late-running Unleash the Power.

Racing on a fast main track that produced quick times all day, Sharp Impact was timed in 1:10.29.

Duggan didn't commit Sharp Impact to the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity, the next stakes stop here for 2-year-olds. In Anasheed, Godolphin has another 2-year-old here it hopes will excel at longer distances.