Final Story Streaks to Maiden Victory at Keeneland

In front-running fashion, Final Story  broke his maiden April 19 at Keeneland in start No. 2 after finishing second in a maiden special weight March 14 at Gulfstream Park. 

Under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., he broke sharply and set the pace a half-length in front of his competition, posting fractions of :22.91, :45.71, and 1:10.51. He continued to race comfortably on the lead down the backstretch, and began to widen his lead on the far turn. As the 3-year-old Candy Ride   colt hit the stretch, he was 3 1/2 lengths in front of the rest of the field. He continued to draw clear deep stretch and hit the wire 6 lengths the best, never being challenged. The Brad Cox trainee completed about 7 furlongs on the dirt in a final time of 1.27.22, and paid $3.06 to win as the post-time favorite. He earned a 101 Equibase Speed Figure for the win. 

A homebred for Gary and Mary West, Final Story  is out of the Giant's Causeway mare, Book Review . She was trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and campaigned for Gary and Mary West. She won the 2012 La Brea Stakes (G1) and 2013 A Gleam Handicap (G2), and was second in the 2013 Ballerina Stakes (G1). She is the dam of four winners, including Regal Beauty , who was second in the 2020 Treasure Chest Stakes and is the dam of California Sunset , who finished third in the 2024 Untapable Stakes. 

Video: Keeneland, Race 5, MSW

Half brother to Magnitude Breaks his maiden at Gulfstream Park

A half brother to Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Magnitude , Azam , broke his maiden April 18 at Gulfstream Park.

In the 1-mile dirt race, the 3-year-old son of McKinzie   broke near the lead under jockey Leonel Reyes and set fractions of :23.52, 1:10.94, and 1:23.96. At odds of 12-1, he battled a couple of pursuers for the lead down the backstretch, but took command on the far turn. The field entered the stretch drive, and Azam was 2 lengths ahead of his competition. He maintained his advantage and hit the wire 2 lengths the best in a final time of 1:37.37. The Jose D'Angelo trainee paid $26 for the win and received an 87 ESF. 

He is out of the unplaced Bernardini mare, Rockadelic . She is the dam of the grade 1-winning Not This Time   colt Magnitude, who, along with the Dubai World Cup, has won the 2025 Clark Stakes (G2), 2025 Risen Star Stakes (G2), and this year's Razorback Handicap (G3). Rockadelic is a daughter of Octave, who won the 2007 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Mother Goose Stakes (G1). 

Azam is owned by SBS Global, which purchased him at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $165,000.