Artislas and Prat squeak by for the win. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Flavien Prat earns record-extending 82nd stakes win this year
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— Favorite Artislas earned his second stakes victory Sunday after prevailing in a stretch-long battle with stubborn pacesetter Fomo Joe in the $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
With Flavien Prat aboard for the first time, Artislas won by a neck over Fomo Joe (16-1) with another 2 ½ lengths back to Sabertooth (4-1) in third. For Prat, it was his record-extending 82nd stakes win this year.
Fomo Joe, ridden by Adrian Escobedo, was able to set a pedestrian pace of 24.26 and 51.16 for the opening half mile as Artislas settled in mid-pack while racing on the outside. Down the backstretch, Frankie Dettori on European import Precision (4-1) sensed the slow pace and made an early move to challenge Fomo Joe on the lead.
Fomo Joe failed to wilt with the added pressure, however. He continued on the lead through six furlongs in 1:15.02 and then into the stretch. By that point, Artislas and Prat had started their rally. Artislas ranged up to Fomo Joe and eventually edged past that rival to earn the victory.
Trained by Jeff Mullins, Artislas won in a time of 1:37.70.
“There was a lot going on,” Prat said. “I don’t know what the first quarter was, but it felt like we were going at a pretty good clip and then things slowed down. I was uncovered, but we were going so slow I was OK where I was. Frankie made a move down the backstretch and it changed the whole dynamics of the race. But my horse made a good run. He has a good turn of foot.”
By Cataline Cruiser, Artislas previously won the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf in September when making his second start. He also crossed the wire first in the GIII Zuma Beach at Santa Anita on Oct. 6 but was disqualified and placed third due to bumping near the wire.
Most recently, Artislas tried the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes going a mile on turf at Del Mar Nov. 14. He was marooned in post 12 to start that day and was never a factor.
“We only had to go three wide (this time), we had to go 10 wide last time so it is a big difference,” Mullins said. “A big field at Del Mar is pretty rough, so you go chasing the slow pace. Even though you’re on the outside, it is still going to wear you down. We just put a line through that race and gave him plenty of time to recover and waited for here.”
Artislas is owned by Irving Ventures LLC, Michele Arthur, William Meathe and Jeanne Tumanjan. He improved to 5: 3-0-1 with $177,500 in earnings.Live racing resumes at Santa Anita Wednesday with a special New Year’s Day program. First post is 12 p.m. PT for a nine-race card.
