Evan and Stephen Ferraro's homebred Liberal Arts, relishing the added distance and sloppy conditions, charged to the lead inside the final furlong to win the GIII Street Sense S. by a widening 2 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs Sunday. The gray colt trailed the strung-out field as Gettysburg Address (Constitution) skipped along on an unchallenged lead through fractions of :23.73 and :47.93. The field began bunching up heading into the far turn, but Liberal Arts was still last at the top of the lane. Informed Patriot was first to overtake the pacesetter with three-sixteenths of a mile to run, but Liberal Arts was tipped out to the center of the track and powered to the lead with authority to win going away. Favored Moonlight closed for second.
“This horse really has improved as the distances got longer,” winning rider Cristian Torres said. “Turning for home today, I just had a ton of horse beneath me and I think he really appreciated going two turns. I got him to relax on the backside and he won like a professional today.”
Liberal Arts, who earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, gave trainer Robert Medina his first graded victory.
“We knew we wouldn't be able to get longer distances until the fall, so we made sure this horse had some experience under his belt, but knew he'd appreciate the stretch out,” said Medina. “Going two turns today I think was the key. He's made five starts this year and talking with the ownership group the plan is now to lay him up until next year and point to some of the big 3-year-old races.”
On the board while sprinting in his first two starts, Liberal Arts graduated going seven furlongs at Ellis Park Aug. 13. He was trying two turns for the first time Sunday off a third-place effort in the one-mile GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs Sept. 16.
Pedigree Notes:
Bred and campaigned by Stephen Ferraro, the winner's dam, Ismene was a two-time stakes winner in California in 2011 and competed in the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. The mare sold to Mike Abraham for $65,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton February sale.
Liberal Arts is the ninth graded winner for his late sire Arrogate, whose son Arcangelo is expected to be a favorite for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic.
Sunday, Churchill Downs
STREET SENSE S.-GIII, $199,000, Churchill Downs, 10-29, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:46.50, sy.
1–LIBERAL ARTS, 122, c, 2, by Arrogate
1st Dam: Ismene (MSW, $236,990), by Tribal Rule
2nd Dam: Never to Excess, by In Excess (Ire)
3rd Dam: Margaret Booth, by Well Decorated
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. B-Stephen Ferraro & Evan Ferraro (KY); T-Robert Medina; J-Cristian A. Torres. $123,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-2, $226,825. *1/2 to Nardini (Acclamation), MSP, $205,866; 1/2 to Ismelucky (Lucky Pulpit), SW, $167,062. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Moonlight, 122, c, 2, Audible–Sundown, by Tapit. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($235,000 RNA Ylg '22 FTSAUG; $170,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $285,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Town and Country Racing, LLC and Madaket Stables LLC; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. $40,000.
3–Informed Patriot, 122, c, 2, Hard Spun–Yawkey Way, by Grand Slam. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-J. Kirk Robison and Judy Robison; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD & Whisper Hill Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $20,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1, 3HF. Odds: 6.09, 1.24, 5.32.
Also Ran: Gettysburg Address, Northern Flame. Scratched: Barksdale, Generous Tipper, Parchment Party.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#6 OTTO THE CONQUEROR ($7.68) took command shortly after the break and added to his winning margin down the lane to win the 9th at Churchill Downs.
The 2yo by @DarleyAmerica's Street Sense was ridden by @Tyler_Gaff for trainer Steve Asmussen and @Three_Chimneys. pic.twitter.com/b5Fb48XXFA
— TVG (@TVG) October 29, 2023
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