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Aragorn lords it over Eddie Read field Ballygallon Stud's ARAGORN (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) looked impressive in winning the May 29 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G1), but the Neil Drysdale charge was just warming up for an even more electrifying, course record-setting effort in Sunday's $400,000 Eddie Read H. (G1) at Del Mar. Positioned in third by jockey Corey Nakatani in the early going, Aragorn was content to watch as defending Eddie Read titleholder Sweet Return (GB) (Elmaamul) set a rapid tempo of :23, :45 3/5 and 1:09 2/5 while intently tracked by Silent Name (Jpn) (Sunday Silence). Nakatani gave his mount the cue nearing the far turn, and with lengthy, fluid strides, Aragorn swept up to join the dueling pair. By the top of the stretch, he had stamped his authority on the race, drawing off by a length while getting the mile in 1:33 2/5. Although there was no competition in sight, except the clock, the four-year-old chestnut continued to pour it on, maintaining his blistering gallop all the way to the line. While finishing four lengths ahead of the outclassed field, Aragorn smashed the nine-furlong record on the firm Jimmy Durante Turf Course with a final time of 1:44 3/5. The previous mark had been 1:45 4/5. "Wow," Nakatani marveled. "Isn't he impressive? The time is impressive, but the way he did it and the kind of horses -- he's beating good horses in there today -- is what gets me. I had a dream trip in so many ways. They were going fast up front, and my horse was just sitting there, waiting. It worked out great." "It was an awesome performance," the usually understated Drysdale commented. The next four horses finished nearly abreast of each other. Sweet Return held off Silent Name, whose rider had dropped the whip early on, by a half-length for runner-up honors. Although Fourty Niners Son (Distorted Humor) crossed the wire another nose back in fourth, he was disqualified and placed fifth for brushing Quasimodo (A.P. Indy) in midstretch. Quasimodo was thereby promoted to fourth. Hendrix (Sultry Song) came next, trailed by Fast and Furious (Fr) (Singspiel [Ire]). Leaving the gate as the 3-2 favorite, the winner returned $5, $3.20 and $2.60. Sweet Return, the fourth choice at 5-1, gave back $5.60 and $3.40, ending the $12 exacta ($1). The 9-2 Silent Name paid $3.40 to show as the third choice in the wagering, resulting in a $41.70 trifecta (3-2-4) ($1). Aragorn has advanced his record to 11-4-4-1 with a bankroll worth $705,325. He had earned his first stakes score in the Oak Tree Derby (G2) last October. After kicking off his 2006 campaign with a pair of seconds, a narrow loss in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) and a runner-up effort in the San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G2), he turned the corner with his stylish Shoemaker win. The Irish-bred winner is out of Onaga (Mr. Prospector), who has an unraced juvenile filly named Kaseema (Storm Cat), a yearling colt named Omnicat (Storm Cat) and a 2006 filly by Giant's Causeway, a full sister to Aragorn. Onaga is a full sister to Grade 2 winner and French classic-placed Sha Tha, who is herself the dam of French Group 2 winner and highweight State Shinto (Pleasant Colony). Another full sister, Tacha, is the dam of 2003 European champion two-year-old colt One Cool Cat (Storm Cat). Onaga's dam, Savannah Dancer (Northern Dancer), winner of the 1985 Del Mar Oaks (G2) along with three other stakes, is a daughter of 1966 Irish champion three-year-old filly and dual classic heroine *Valoris II (*Tiziano II). In terms of future targets, Drysdale mentioned the option of stepping up in trip or reverting to a mile. "We'll discuss the Arlington Million ([G1] on August 12 at 1 1/4 miles) or to stay here for the mile (Del Mar Breeders' Cup Mile [G2] on August 26)."
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