Expensive Pioneerof the Nile Firster Games It Out at Santa Anita

4th-Santa Anita, $51,053, Msw, 10-26, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:16.77, ft.
THOUSAND WORDS (c, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–Pomeroys Pistol {MGSW & MGISP, $574,678}, by Pomeroy) cost this high-profile partnership an even $1 million as a Keeneland September yearling last fall and, with a steady and positive-looking worktab going back to mid-summer, was sent off the 13-10 chalk, a dime less than the more-experienced Thunder Code (Honor Code). With the vanguard early, Thousand Words was content to drop back into fourth while racing off the track down the backside as Thunder Code set a strong pace. Poking his blue shadow roll into the frame at the three-eighths, he went on the attack three abreast at the three-sixteenths, drew even with the pacesetter 100 yards from home and inched away to take it by a half-length. It was another 6 1/4 lengths back to first-timer Divine Armor (Include) in third. Hardacre Farm raced Thousand Words's dam to a trio of graded-stakes scores at sprint trips and to runner-up efforts in the GI Prioress S. and GI Test S. in 2011. Pomeroys Pistol produced a Hard Spun colt this year and was covered most recently by Arrogate. Sales history: $1,000,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC & Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Hardacre Farm (FL); T-Bob Baffert.