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Well Armed outguns foes in San Antonio WinStar Farms' homebred WELL ARMED (Tiznow) gunned to the front early and had just enough left late to capture the $250,000 San Antonio H. (G2) over the Cushion Track at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Eoin Harty trainee was sent to the lead by Aaron Gryder from his outside post and established fractions of :23 3/5, :47 1/5 and 1:11 1/5 for the opening six panels, while three lengths clear after three-quarters. Well Armed appeared gone at the top of the lane, but Heatseeker (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) was finding his best stride and nearly caught him on the wire, falling just a head shy. The final time for nine furlongs was 1:47 3/5 and the 14-1 winner paid $30.20, $12 and $5.40, while keying the $1 exotics: $99.90 exacta, $371.80 trifecta and $3,026.90 superfecta (9-5-4-1). Heatseeker was well placed early but appeared to be outmoved approaching the final turn, only to find his best stride late in a game second-place performance. The 5-1 fourth choice was worth $5.80 and $3.20. Awesome Gem (Awesome Again), who was making his first start since a third in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), closed well from midpack but never got to the top duo while 3 3/4 lengths clear of his nearest foe. The 2-1 favorite paid $2.80. Big Booster (Accelerator) was last turning for home but closed belatedly to garner fourth and finish off the super at nearly 18-1. Student Council (Kingmambo) was a head back and followed by Racketeer (Awesome Again), Zappa (Afternoon Deelites), Rathor (Ire) (Machiavellian) and Sweetnorthernsaint (Sweetsouthernsaint). Well Armed garnered his first stakes win in here, which followed a runner-up effort in the San Pasqual H. (G2). The gelding more than doubled his bankroll to $250,805 with the winners' share, and improved his career mark to 15-4-2-0. The Kentucky-bred five-year-old is out of the stakes-winning Notebook mare Well Dressed and counts Travers S. (G1) third Helsinki (Distorted Humor) as a half-brother. Well Dressed is also responsible for an unraced three-year-old filly named O' Toole (Distorted Humor), a two-year-old filly named Witty (Distorted Humor) and an unnamed yearling full sister to the winner. Well Armed hails from the same female family as two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Symboli Kris S. (Kris S.). Harty said the probable itinerary for Well Armed is the $1 million Santa Anita H. (G1) on March 1 and the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29.
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