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Well Armed guns down Goodwood foes WinStar Farm's homebred WELL ARMED (Tiznow) emerged from the wall of horses that turned for home as one, and drove clear to take the $498,000 Goodwood S. (G1) over the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Eoin Harty trainee broke alertly and was content to sit in third behind Informed (Tiznow) and Mast Track (Mizzen Mast), who dueled through splits of :23 1/5, :46 4/5 and 1:10 1/5 for the opening six panels. Well Armed was well out in the track in the lane but finished with good energy under Aaron Gryder, eventually stopping the teletimer in 1:47 for the nine-furlong test. The 8-5 favorite was worth $5.40, $2.80 and $2.40 while keying the $1 gimmicks -- $11.90 exacta, $67.50 trifecta and $401.50 superfecta (7-8-6-4). "The fact that (Well Armed's) relaxing so much is a credit to Aaron Gryder more than to my training," Harty said. "It's certainly gratifying to have two horses (including Travers S. [G1] hero Colonel John [Tiznow]) pointing to the Breeders' Cup Classic ([G1] on October 25). They're both very sound horses, and I think that's a trait that Tiznow throws to his stock." Tiago (Pleasant Tap) was last in the stretch but rallied strongly while widest of all, falling a length short at the wire. The 9-2 runner-up returned $4.40 and $3. Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great) put in a solid late rush to secure the show spot another three parts of a length back. The 7-1 shot paid $4.40. Surf Cat (Sir Cat) made a threatening move turning for home but flattened out in the final furlong and settled for fourth at 13-1. Spirit One (Fr) (Anabaa Blue) was next and followed by Tres Borrachos (Ecton Park), Zappa (Afternoon Deelites), Mast Track, Mostacolli Mort (Hold for Gold) and Informed. Well Armed annexed his third graded stakes win of the year, following triumphs in the San Diego H. (G2) and San Antonio H. (G2), and counts placings in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) and San Pasqual H. (G2). In his most recent showing, the five-year-old finished a neck second in the Pacific Classic (G1). The much-improved Well Armed boasts $1,530,805 in earnings from a 19-6-3-1 career mark. The Kentucky-bred gelding is out of the stakes-winning Notebook mare Well Dressed and counts 2007 Travers S. (G1) third Helsinki (Distorted Humor) as a half-brother. Well Dressed is also responsible for an unraced two-year-old filly named Witty (Distorted Humor), an unnamed yearling full sister to the winner and an unnamed weanling filly by Speightstown. Well Armed hails from the same female family as two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Symboli Kris S. (Kris S.).
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