Bred in Kentucky by Bonne Chance Farm LLC, the chestnut was purchased by Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stable for $600,000 out of the 2022 OBS April Sale and made a big impression at first asking, graduating by three lengths and clocking a strong 1:09.78 for six furlongs. Arabian Lion proved proficient when stretched out to two turns by trainer Bob Baffert, finishing second to fellow 'Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) in the GIII Lexington S. before romping by four lengths in the Sir Barton S., good for a 103 Beyer.

Having been under consideration for the GI Belmont S., Arabian Lion cut back to seven-eighths of a mile for the Woody Stephens, defeating then-unbeaten Drew's Gold (Violence) by 1 3/4 lengths, covering the distance in a slick 1:21.70 (109 Beyer) ahead of a third in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga. Arabian Lion retires with a record of 3-2-1 from nine starts and earnings of $498,100.

“Arabian Lion is a tremendous-looking individual and he showed real brilliance on the track,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “His win in the Woody Stephens was arguably the best performance this year by a 3-year-old, and the speed figures back that up.

“We are grateful to Mr. Zedan for the opportunity to stand another one of his stars. He and his team have obviously done a great job of acquiring and racing the best of the best, and those are the type of stallion prospects we are looking to stand at Spendthrift.”

Arabian Gold will stand alongside Zedan's 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) at Spendthrift.

Produced by a half-sister to the stakes-placed dam of the Spendthrift-owned MGSW Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), Arabian Lion–the first son of Justify to stud–counts the inimitable Personal Ensign (Private Account) as his third dam. Descending from that unbeaten racemare is MGISW My Flag, her champion daughter Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat) and additional Grade I winners Miner's Mark, Traditionally and Mr Speaker .

#3 Arabian Lion claws to the front to win the G1 Woody Stephens S. at Belmont under John Velazquez for trainer Bob Baffert!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/QWjNEZRtZG

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) June 10, 2023

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Off extremely alertly in a scratched-down field of five, the $600,000 OBS April breezer led through a leisurely opening quarter in :24.47 under an easy John Velazquez hold, but was forced to pick it up some in the middle stages, as second choice Tapit's Conquest (Tapit) went for a middle move three off the inside in an attempt to apply bit of pressure to the leader. Arabian Lion still held the call after three-quarters in 1:11.22 and when Tapit's Conquest gave it one final crack entering the final furlong, the burly chestnut hit another gear after a right-handed reminder from Velazquez and ran out a facile winner over a track that has been yielding quick times.

Named a 'Rising Star' for a three-length debut success at Santa Anita Oct. 9, Arabian Lion nearly overcame a bobbling start in a Breeders' Cup Friday allowance at Keeneland, setting for a close second behind next-out Springboard Mile runner-up Giant Mischief (Into Mischief). Inexplicably last of five when heavily favored in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity, he was fourth of four in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 4 before just getting run down by would-be GI Preakness S. second favorite First Mission (Street Sense) in Keeneland's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. Apr. 15.

“I should have run him in the Preakness!” said trainer Bob Baffert. “I didn't think he could lose in the Lexington. I was just, 'How did he get beat?' I think that race sort of helped him, and I wanted to give him one more time around two turns. He is such a beautiful horse. He is like a smaller version of Justify and I think he is just starting to wake up. What I saw today, and that time was pretty impressive, I think he [belonged] in the Preakness the way he ran today. The Belmont is a possibility with him.”

Arabian Lion is one of four winners from five to race out of a full-sister to the stakes-placed Mary Rita (Distorted Humor), whose multiple graded stakes-winning son Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) was a bang-up third in the GII American Turf S. on the Kentucky Derby undercard. The colt, who counts the legendary Personal Ensign as his third dam, has a foal half-sister by Frosted. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

SIR BARTON S. SPONSORED BY BRANDON AND DIANNAH PERRY TO BENEFIT THE THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE, $99,000, Pimlico, 5-20, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:41.13 (NSR), ft.
1–ARABIAN LION, 118, c, 3, by Justify
1st Dam: Unbound (SP, $359,826), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Possibility, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Personal Ensign, by Private Account
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($600,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R Velazquez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-2-2-0, $217,600.
2–Tapit's Conquest, 118, c, 3, Tapit–Conquest Lil Miss, by Horse Greeley. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. ($350,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Robert V LaPenta, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds & Madaket Stables LLC; B-WinStar Farm LLC & Tapit Syndicate (KY); T-Brad H Cox. $20,000.
3–Denington, 118, c, 3, Gun Runner–Stronger Than Ever, by Congrats. O/B-Fern Circle Stables & Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek) (KY); T-Kenneth G McPeek. $10,000.
Margins: 4, 6HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 3.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Sheriff Ronnie, Feeling Woozy. Scratched: Masterwork.

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A maiden winner in his second start around two turns this past January, the $90,000 Keeneland September graduate ran a monster race to be second in the GII Rebel S. before finishing off the board in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. and GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. on consecutive weekends in April. Nevertheless, Ethereal Road was entered for the GI Kentucky Derby and drew gate 20, but his 11th-hour scratching allowed the first of two horses on the also-eligible list, Rich Strike (Keen Ice), to draw into the race. The chestnut would go on to upset the Run for the Roses at 80-1, while Ethereal Road entered the Belmont conversation with a convincing victory in the Sir Barton S. on the GI Preakness S. undercard May 21.

According to the Martin tweet, Ethereal Road will be pointed for the GII Jim Dandy S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. this summer at Saratoga.

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Breaking from the rail as the 3-2 choice, Ethereal Road wasn't quick out of the gate and settled comfortably near the back. With just one horse beaten at both the :23.70 first quarter and :47.26 half, he tipped out five wide on the turn to circle horses, quickly took command, and surged to the lead with obvious confidence to post a facile daylight win.

“That's what we expected,” said legendary winning trainer and Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. “That's his style. It was a picture-perfect ride from Luis [Saez]. We probably should have left him in the Derby, but that's hindsight. He got a good trip. The fractions are realistic. We can definitely build off this.”

Ethereal Road broke his maiden in January at Oaklawn in his fourth career try, then jumped into the deep end and responded with a runner-up finish to Un Ojo (Laoban) in the GII Rebel S. in February. The Sir Barton was his first start following off-the-board finishes in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. and the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S., both at Keeneland in April. Saturday was Saez's first time on the colt in the afternoon. Saez had won the Oaks in his first time aboard Secret Oath and retained that mount for the Preakness.

“He ran pretty nice,” said Saez. “The pace was perfect for him. It's the style he likes to run–break and make one move. He finished really strong.”

Ethereal Road's dam, Sustained, was second in the 2012 GIII Miss Grillo S. for Paul Pompa, Jr., who bred Ethereal Road and sold him for $90,000 at Keeneland September a month before he passed away in 2020. Sustained was sold at the 2021 Keeneland January sale for $320,000 to Determined Stud while in foal to Connect, whom Pompa also campaigned. The mare produced colts by that Pompa-raced stallion in both 2020 and 2021.

SIR BARTON S. SPONSORED BY BRANDON AND DIANNAH PERRY TO BENEFIT THE THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE, $100,000, Pimlico, 5-21, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.20, ft.
1–ETHEREAL ROAD, 118, c, 3, by Quality Road
               1st Dam: Sustained (GSP, $184,629), by War Front
               2nd Dam: Sweetstorm Amy, by Lemon Drop Kid
               3rd Dam: Hurricane Amy, by Storm Cat
($90,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Aaron
Sones; B-Paul Pompa (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas; J-Luis Saez.
$60,000. Lifetime Record: GSP, 8-2-1-1, $354,545. *1/2 to
Turned Aside (American Pharoah), GSW-USA, GSP-Can,
$292,164.
2–B Dawk, 118, c, 3, Gormley–Mott N Hester, by Super
Saver. ($77,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $140,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP;
$425,000 2yo '21 EASMAY; $500,000 RNA 3yo '22 KEEAPR).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-West Point Thoroughbreds & Joseph
E. Besecker; B-Small Batch Thoroughbreds & Robert Fetkin
(KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $20,000.
3–Mr Jefferson, 118, c, 3, Constitution–Clockstrucktwelve, by
Malibu Moon. O/B-R. Larry Johnson (MD); T-Michael J.
Trombetta. $10,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 2 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.50, 3.50, 6.10.
Also Ran: Ruggs, Good Skate, Unikee, Goldenize, Writeitontheice. Scratched: Brooklyn Diamonds, The Addison Pour.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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