Zedan Racing Stables’ Kentucky-bred Arabian Lion made short work of his rivals in the $400,000 Woody Stephens S. (G1) on Belmont Stakes Day, becoming a Grade 1 winner with a decisive victory in the seven-furlong event.
Ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Bob Baffert, Arabian Lion covered the distance in 1:21.70 in defeating runner-up Drew’s Gold by 1 ¾ lengths to earn his second straight stakes win following a four-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Sir Barton S. at Pimlico on Preakness Stakes Day in May. Prior to that, he finished second in the Lexington S. (G3) at Keeneland.
“This horse, I’ve always been so high on, he’s just been slow to come around,” Baffert said. “Amr Zedan, he let me be patient with him and now we’re getting rewarded with the way he ran.”
Racing behind the pacesetters early, Arabian Lion was tipped out into the four path by Velazquez once he was set down for the drive. He surged to the lead in mid-stretch and sprinted clear late.
“He broke well,” said Velazquez. “He got outrun right away, so I sat behind the leaders. When I asked him to do it down the lane, he responded right away. He is a nice horse.”
Bred in Kentucky by Bonne Chance Farm, Arabian Lion was a $600,000 purchase by Zedan Racing Stables at last year’s OBS Spring Sale where he was consigned by Hidden Brook. Arabian Lion is a chestnut son of undefeated 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify out of the Distorted Humor mare Unbound. Arabian Lion is now a three-time winner from seven career starts, with earnings of $437,600.