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Avanzare helps Stevens advance closer to milestone in Arcadia

Avanzare has put Hall of Famer Gary Stevens one win away from number 5,000 in North America (Benoit Photos) Donato Lanni and John F. Youngblood's Avanzare (Grand Reward) was the recipient of a heady ride from Gary Stevens in Saturday's $200,500 Arcadia S. (G2) at Santa Anita, and he returned the favor by giving the Hall of Famer his 4,999th North American victory. Attending the moderate pace set by El Nino Terrible (Malibu Moon) through splits of :23, :46 4/5 and 1:10 2/5, the 5-1 chance got the jump on Za Approval (Ghostzapper) and Home Run Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and held sway by 1 1/4 lengths. Avanzare, who toured the firm-turf mile in 1:34, was also capping a productive day for trainer Tom Proctor. Earlier at Tampa Bay Downs, fellow Proctor trainee Include Betty (Include) uncorked a furious late rally to get up in the Suncoast S. "He had tunnel vision in the starting gate," Stevens said of Avanzare. "I was able to go out there and Fernando (Perez on El Nino Terrible) set a decent pace that was comfortable. He kicked home really nice and he was giving me that feeling down the backside. "I breezed him five days ago on the dirt, and when I looked at the work, he had the second-fastest work that morning (at the distance.) I thought he went in 1:01 and he actually went in :59, and usually when they do that they're doing awfully well."

Za Approval, a wide-trip fourth in the January 10 Ft. Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream Park, took the overland route again while besting Home Run Kitten by three-quarters of a length for second. The 6-5 favorite, Kaigun (Northern Afleet), was a non-threatening fourth. Edge of Reality (Lawyer Ron), El Nino Terrible and Baccelo (Northern Afleet) concluded the order under the wire, and Talco (Pivotal) and Play Hard to Get (Purim) were scratched. Talco was re-entered in Thursday's 7TH race.

Avanzare paid $13.80 for his second graded victory, but first on turf. The bay gelding stole the August 30 Washington Park H. (G3) on the Polytrack at Arlington, and in his only other synthetic attempt, was third in the November 29 Native Diver (G3) at Del Mar last out. He had performed well in his two previous stakes turf stakes appearances, finishing a close fourth in the Arlington H. (G3) and third in the October 4 City of Hope Mile (G2). His resume now reads 12-6-3-2, $385,180.

"He's a great turf horse and he's still improving," Stevens said. "He's gained some confidence from the Native Diver, which was the first time I rode him. It was kind of gooey and he didn't seem like he was enjoying it but he still ran third."

Bred by Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds in Kentucky, Avanzare brought a scant $1,100 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's Eastern Fall Yearlings Sale. He later sold for $52,000 as an OBS June two-year-old in training. The five-year-old is out of the unraced Turn the Tide (Theatrical), from the further family of multiple Group 1-winning German highweight Mamool (In the Wings).

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