The Pizza Man fires fresh in Opening Verse

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Pizza Man did Saturday at Churchill Downs what his champion stablemate Work All Week could not in the Aristides one race earlier on the card: win his first start of the year after an extended stay on the sidelines.

Unraced since running third behind Finnegans Wake in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup on Nov. 27, The Pizza Man showed no signs of rust when returning in the $57,672 Opening Verse , winning by 2 1/2 lengths. He rated comfortably in third early, and surged past leaders Frac Daddy and Departing with a powerful inside rally under regular rider Florent Geroux.

The Pizza Man, a 6-year-old gelded son of English Channel owned and bred by Midwest Thoroughbreds, raced 1/16 miles in 1:43.29 on a firm turf course that was softened by a brief rainstorm about 10 minutes before the race. He paid $6.20.

Winner of the Stars N Stripes and American St. Leger at Arlington last year, he is likely to return for another summer campaign in Chicago, although trainer Roger Brueggemann said he would consider another important Arlington race, too.

“I might even try the Arlington Million with him,” he said. “I would like to get him a ‘Win and You’re In.’ I’d like to go to the Breeders’ Cup with him.”

The winner has proven a highly versatile horse, winning short turf routes and marathons on grass.

Frac Daddy gamely held second by a head over third-place Departing, who came up a little even-paced late in his first start of the year and in his first race on grass.

Regally Ready and Ultimo Trago were scratched.