Thousand Words wins debut

ARCADIA, Calif. – Thousand Words, purchased for $1 million last September, is likely bound for a stakes after winning his debut in a maiden special weight race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Saturday at Santa Anita.

The win could lead to a start in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs on Nov. 16 at Del Mar or the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 7, the next two graded stakes on dirt for 2-year-olds in Southern California.

Thousand Words, ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Bob Baffert, closed from fourth in a field of eight to take the lead in the stretch. Thousand Words fought off a challenge from Thunder Code to win by a half-length in 1:16.77. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

“He looked good,” Baffert said. “He showed a lot of grit; that’s a sign of a good horse. I didn’t think he’d win first time out.”

Owned by Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm, Thousand Words is by Pioneerof The Nile and out of Pomeroys Pistol, a four-time stakes winner who earned $574,678.