Saturday, Arlington Park
SECRETARIAT S.-GI, $500,000, APX, 8-18, 3yo,
1 1/4mT, 2:02 4/5, gd.
1--BAYRIR (FR), 121, c, 3, by Medicean (GB)
        1st Dam: Balankiya (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
        2nd Dam: Balanka (Ire), by Alzao
        3rd Dam: Banana Peel (Ire), by Green Dancer
O-H H Aga Khan; B-S A Aga Khan (FR); T-Alain De Royer-Dupre; J-Christophe P Lemaire; $294,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $441,007. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Finnegans Wake, 119, c, 3, Powerscourt (GB)-- Boat's Ghost, by Silver Ghost. O-Donegal Racing; B-Jerry Crawford (KY); T-Dale L Romans; $98,000.


3--Summer Front, 123, c, 3, War Front--Rose of Summer, by El Prado (Ire). ($475,000 2yo '11 KEEAPR). O-Waterford Stable; B-Graceville Breeding (KY); T-Christophe Clement; $49,000.


Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 3.20, 8.50, 2.60.
Also Ran: Handsome Mike, Silver Max, Cozzetti, All Stormy, Daddy Long Legs. Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales.
   Out to avenge these connections for a neck defeat in last year's running of the Secretariat with Ziyarid (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}), lightly raced Bayrir continued his upward trajectory to become a Grade I winner for his powerhouse owner/breeder. Debuted successfully at Maisons-Laffitte in May, the bay finished fourth in the Prix Matchem back at that venue June 6 in his only career defeat. He'd go on to annex a listed event at Saint-Cloud June 24, and overcame some traffic trouble last time to score in the G2 Prix Eugene Adam July 22. Away slowly, Bayrir bided his time towards the back in the early going as favored Silver Max (Badge of Silver) took up his expected spot on the lead. He snuck up the rail to take closer order through six furlongs in 1:13.25, and tipped back out to the two path as fellow European invader Daddy Long Legs (Scat Daddy) confronted the pacesetter, appearing to interfere with Summer Front in the process. Pilot Christophe Lemaire threaded the needle in upper stretch, and when he produced his mount's run, it was all over as Finnegans Wake followed the winner's move to complete the exacta. "I think he's a very good horse, because he's very calm, as you saw before the race," said trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre. "We had a good pace in the race, and he has a good turn of foot." Lemaire added, "It wasn't the plan [to be far back early] but the race started out very quickly. I let my horse get into the race. On the backstretch, he was racing very well and he took the bit on his own around the last corner. When I put him out he reacted very well. He's a very clever horse. He's a very classy horse."