Tia Flor romps at Keeneland to give sire Archarcharch first winner

Grade 1 hero Archarcharch was represented by his first winner as a sire on

Thursday when his juvenile daughter Tia Flor romped in the

9TH race over Keeneland's fast main track.

Campaigned by Eladio Acevedo, the dark bay miss took command out of the gate

under Rolando Aragon and never looked back en route to a 9 1/4-length score. Tia

Flor was sent off at 11-1 and paid $24.80 for finishing 4 1/2 furlongs in :52

3/5 against six colts and geldings and one fellow filly. Trained by Marco

Castaneda, the Kentucky-bred lass was fifth in her career debut at Keeneland

just last week on April 15 under the same conditions, and was the only starter

in the field with prior experience.

Archarcharch took two tries to break his maiden as well, but he got the job

done in the Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds in his 2010 juvenile finale. The

near-black colt was fourth in his sophomore bow, the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn

Park, and stayed at that Hot Springs, Arkansas, venue to complete his Kentucky

Derby (G1) preparations.

Trainer Jinks Fires proceeded to saddle Archarcharch to a win in the

Southwest S. (G3), a third in the Rebel S. (G2) and, finally, a gutsy

quarter-length score in the Arkansas Derby (G1) over Nehro (Mineshaft). That one

would be second behind Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux) in the Kentucky Derby

next out but Archarcharch wasn't so lucky.