Zedan Racing Stables Inc.’s Faran pulled away strongly in the final furlong to break his maiden by 1 ¾-lengths in his career debut on June 27 at Los Alamitos.
The 3-year-old son of leading sire Not This Time was ridden by Umberto Rispoli in what was his first mount since returning from injuries he suffered in late January.
Faran broke alertly and was in a tight battle for the lead as he raced four-wide down the backstretch. Noble Testament, to Faran’s inside, held a narrow advantage around the turn before Faran took the lead at the top of the long homestretch. Faran managed a half-length lead with a furlong to run, then bounded clear in the final sixteenth to finish the 6 ½-furlongs in 1:16.74 on a fast track.
“He wasn’t quite cranked up,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “I wanted to get a race into him. The maiden race came up. When they come up, you have to enter. He’s real green and he’s still a little soft. He won on class.”
Faran will likely show up next at Del Mar when racing begins at the seaside track next month. The $3.4 million sales topper at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale is a half-brother to Comical, who was a graded winner at two, while his stakes-placed dam Kayce Ace is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winners Colonel John and Mr. Hot Stuff.
