Wharton
Though he was a bit chilly on the board for a Bob Baffert-trained, John Velazquez-ridden, $475,000 KEESEP buy by the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}–Her Smile, by Include) earned 'TDN Rising Star'-dom all the same Friday as he left a highly regarded second timer in his wake at Santa Anita...
Though he was a bit chilly on the board for a Bob Baffert-trained, John Velazquez-ridden, $475,000 KEESEP buy by the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}–Her Smile, by Include) earned 'TDN Rising Star'-dom all the same Friday as he left a highly regarded second timer in his wake at Santa Anita. Stablemate McLaren Vale (Gun Runner) had taken the first of split sprint divisions two races earlier by a length in 1:17.81, but this looked like the stronger group on paper, in large part due to the presence of odds-on Got Thunder (Arrogate), the $750,000 OBSAPR grad who was second on debut at Del Mar to another Avengers representative and GIII Sham S. entrant Newgrange (Violence). Off as the 4-1 second choice with teammate Armagnac (Quality Road) given a 5-1 chance, Wharton broke cleanly enough from the rail and stalked from the pocket with Got Thunder to his outside. Armagnac soon joined the chasing fray farther out, and Wharton poked a head in front in the vicinity of the 3/8 pole. Got Thunder tried to move to even terms with Wharton as they neared the straight, but Wharton lengthened his stride, found another gear and glided home a 5 1/4-length victor, stopping the clock in 1:17.52. Got Thunder held off Armagnac for second.
The winner is out of 2011 GI Prioress S. winner Her Smile (Include), who sold to KatieRich Farms for $1.5 million at the 2015 Keeneland November sale while carrying Pink Sands (Tapit), MGSW, $490,800. Her Smile's recent produce includes an Arrogate colt of 2020 and a More Than Ready filly of 2021. She was most recently bred to Justify.