Arman (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Beautissimo, by Uncle Mo), a $600,000 OBS March purchase (:9 4/5) by Kaleem Shah, overcame a very wide draw in post 10 to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors going five furlongs on debut at Churchill Downs Thursday evening.
The 8-5 favorite wasn't off to a great beginning breaking toward the rear and rushed up on the outside to chase in fourth heading into the far turn. Four wide and on the move approaching the quarter pole, he gained a narrow advantage in the stretch and leveled off nicely after a couple of left handers from Martin Garcia to win going away by 2 1/2 lengths. Longshot Eakly (Caleb's Posse) was second. Arman becomes the seventh winner and first 'Rising Star' for his red-hot freshman sire (by Medaglia d'Oro).
Arman is one of seven of the 49 Bolt d'Oro juveniles reported as sold to fetch $500,000 or more this year.
Shah, on hand at Churchill Downs, named the promising bay after his son Arman.
“My team collectively loved the horse, so I decided to name him after my son,” Shah said on the FS2 'America's Day at the Races' broadcast.
“So, there was a lot of pressure on the team,” he added with a laugh. “Arman was running, I had to show up for the race.”
The Florida-bred is out Beautissimo (Uncle Mo), an unraced half-sister to the stakes-winning and multiple graded-placed dirt router Two Thirty Five (Stay Thirsty). Beautissimo brought $50,000 from Trackside Farm at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. She is also responsible for the unraced 3-year-old colt Tone Poem (Tonalist) and a filly by Vino Rosso of 2021. Beautissimo was bred to Goldencents for 2022.
This is the extended female family of champion Halfbridled (Unbridled).
5th-Churchill Downs, $120,000, Msw, 6-23, 2yo, 5f, :58.14, ft, 2 1/2 lengths.
ARMAN, c, 2, by Bolt d'Oro
1st Dam: Beautissimo, by Uncle Mo
2nd Dam: A Footstep Away, by Giant's Causeway
3rd Dam: At The Half, by Seeking the Gold
Sales history: $52,000 RNA Ylg '21 OBSOCT; $600,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $35,560. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Kaleem Shah, Inc.; B-Loren Nichols (FL); T-Simon Callaghan.
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