If, in the beginning of the 12 months, one had been drawing up a listing of runners that is perhaps headed to the highest of the older horse division, it is unlikely that checklist would have featured Arthur’s Journey . Certainly, at that time the placing 4-year-old grey had began simply thrice, and had not been seen in public for greater than 10 months.
That mentioned, Arthur’s Journey did make a promising begin to his profession with seconds in a pair of seven-furlong maiden particular weight races at Saratoga Race Course in August and September of his 2-year-old season, on each events exhibiting sufficient velocity to take the lead. Arthur’s Journey broke his maiden going a mile at 3 in February 2023, however that was the one time he can be seen in public that 12 months, with what was described as “…just a little little bit of a tendon challenge..,” sending him to the sidelines.
It appeared the break had benefited Arthur’s Journey when in March he got here again to take a one-mile allowance non-obligatory claiming check at Gulfstream Park by 7 1/2 lengths, however he then flopped as favourite over a moist observe in an identical occasion on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard. Precisely one month later got here a really completely different efficiency, as Arthur’s Journey dominated a 1 1/4-mile non-obligatory claiming/allowance contest at Saratoga from begin to end to attain by 12 3/4 lengths regardless of being confidently dealt with the final half furlong.
Within the Whitney Stakes (G1) on Saturday, Arthur’s Journey produced one other highly effective front-running effort. He went straight to the top of affairs, opening up by 5 lengths within the stretch and scoring by 2 1/4 lengths from Crupi (who, by the way, was third in Arthur’s Journey’s first two begins).
Final 12 months’s Whitney Stakes was received by White Abarrio , a grey grandson of Arthur’s Journey’s sire, Tapit , and White Abarrio subsequently captured the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1). Arthur’s Journey will possible run within the Jockey Membership Cup (G1) subsequent, however for the time being he looms as a serious contender for the Traditional, particularly on condition that his final two begins have yielded Beyer Pace Figures of 111 and 110, the 12 months’s quickest and second quickest (tied with Fierceness ) on the dust.
Tapit’s three-season reign as main sire resulted in 2016, and the son of Pulpit is now 23 years previous. That mentioned, he’s nonetheless a drive to be reckoned with, and along with Arthur’s Journey, he is represented by six different stakes winners this 12 months, together with Scylla , profitable within the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) and Shawnee Stakes (G3); Ohio Derby (G3) captor Batten Down ; and Tapit Trice , who impressed in taking the Monmouth Cup (G3) on his belated seasonal debut. All advised, Tapit has sired 166 stakes winners, 105 of them graded, and 32 grade 1, headed by the incomparable Flightline , and different champions Important High quality , Untapable , Stardom Certain , Hansen , and Distinctive Bella .
There’s additionally loads of high quality on the distaff facet of Arthur’s Journey’s pedigree. His dam, the Level Given mare Factors of Grace , took the Dance Neatly Stakes (G2T) and River Reminiscences Stakes, which was sufficient to earn a title as champion turf mare in Canada in 2009. Factors of Grace has been an especially profitable producer, with six winners from seven foals, additionally together with champion Canadian 2-12 months-Previous filly Victory to Victory , profitable within the Natalma Stakes (G1T); the 2023 Ginger Brew Stakes scorer Alittleloveandluck ; and the stakes-placed Double Blessed .
Factors of Grace is out of the English-raced Fateful, additionally dam of Fatefully, a twin black-type winner in England, and herself dam of the Nassau Stakes (G1) heroine Beneficial Phrases, and third dam of three of stakes winners, together with Berneuil, twice profitable in group sprints in France.
Arthur’s Journey’s fourth dam, Solid the Die, was considered one of three stakes-winning siblings by Olden Occasions, one of many others being Hagley, who took the Withers Stakes and was a profitable sire in Maryland. Solid the Die herself received 14 races, 5 of them black-type, together with the Cicada Stakes. Solid the Die went on to provide the Santa Monica Handicap (G1) victress Satan’s Orchid and Pimlico Distaff Stakes (G3) winner Double Sixes. The pedigree goes again to Flaming Masks, a daughter of the 1934 Acorn Stakes winner, Fleam, and a three-quarters sister to Omaha, who captured the Triple Crown in 1935, and his brother Flares, winner in England of the Ascot Gold Cup and Champion Stakes.
Arthur’s Journey is considered one of two graded stakes winners from 20 starters by Pulpit and sons out of Level Given mares, and can be considered one of 20 graded stakes winners by Tapit line stallions with Relaunch within the dam, Relaunch being a brother to Moon Glitter, the third dam of Tapit.
