Kavod Scores Off Claim in Opening Day Advent at Oaklawn
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coady Photography
Kavod wins the Advent Stakes at Oaklawn Park
Having its earliest opening in 117 years, Oaklawn Park staged a stakes race for 2-year-olds for the first time in half a century, and Kavod did his part to make it memorable by catching favored Higher Standard in the $150,000 Advent Stakes Dec. 3.
The Chris Hartman-trained juvenile son of Lea stalked the pace along the inside under Francisco Arrieta, before shown daylight in the stretch and outkicking Higher Standard by a length. Cairama was third and Ruggs fourth in the eight-horse Advent, which had its first running Friday. The winner raced six furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.97 following splits of :21.61 and :44.96.
"It set up perfect," said Hartman after the race. "I asked Francisco (Arrieta) to put (Kavod) into the race early and that's exactly what he did. I mean, that's an ideal pace for him, where he was set. He got a little bit headstrong, but he ran on well."
Kavod was the third consecutive winner Friday for Arrieta.
"(He's a) nice horse," said Arrieta. "He broke good. A couple of horses went to the lead. I tried to relax him. When he was stopped behind horses, he was a little green. At the quarter pole, he may have been in a little bit of trouble. Finally, he came back and I went for the space. When I asked him, he ran."
The winning connections of Kavod in the trophy presentation for the Advent Stakes
Coming off a $50,000 claiming victory last month at Churchill Downs, a race from which he was claimed by owners James Rogers and Michael Robinson, Kavod paid $8.40 to win. He improved his record to 3-1-0 in nine starts and earnings to $243,00. He ran second in the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park this summer.
Will Win Stables purchased Kavod for $3,500 from the Shawhan Place consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. James Chapman previously trained and co-owned him with Tritain Biddinger.
Bred by Steve Grant in Kentucky, Kavod is the first stakes winner and third black-type horse out of the winning Pulpit mare Weekend Connection . She has five winners from eight foals, Kavod being the youngest of her produce.
Video: Advent S. (BT)