Accomplished 8-year-old Obviously (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) takes on some hot shots half his age Saturday in an interesting renewal of the GII Arcadia S. at Santa Anita. The earner of over $1.5 million earned his second career Grade I tally in the 2014 Shoemaker Mile over course and distance, but and finished that year's campaign with a fifth-place run in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. He made only two starts last season, finishing a valiant third over yielding sod in the GI Woodbine Mile Sept. 13, and fading to ninth after predictably showing the way in the BC Mile at Keeneland on Halloween. Proving he hasn't lost a step at his age, the Phil d'Amato pupil nearly ran off with the nine-furlong GII San Gabriel S. here Jan. 2, only to be collared late by 46-1 outsider Flamboyant (Fr) (Peer Gynt {Jpn}), who proved that effort was no fluke with a victory in last Saturday's GII San Marcos S. Flashy 4-year-old Om (Munnings) sports a three-for-three record over this turf course, including two tallies at the distance. The chestnut annexed the Sept. 6 GII Del Mar Derby and local GII Twilight Derby Oct. 24–both going an additional furlong–but settled for a close third at odds-on after failing to make the lead in Del Mar's GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 28. He had no trouble sitting second, however, when annexing the GII Mathis Brothers Mile here Dec. 26. Bolo (Temple City) was a stakes-winning turfer at two, but found himself on the GI Kentucky Derby trail at three, and finished third in both the GII San Felipe S. here in March and GI Santa Anita Derby in April. Twelfth in the “Run for the Roses,” he bounced back in a grassy allowance here later that month, but was pulled up and vanned off after setting the pace as the favorite in the GI Belmont Derby July 4. Three time graded stakes-placed on the dirt last season, Prospect Park (Tapit) turned in an explosive performance to defeat Om in the GIII La Jolla H. at Del Mar Aug. 9, but hasn't been seen since finishing third at 3-10 in the Del Mar Derby. He may scratch in favor of an allowance Sunday.
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