The Pizza Man Gearing Up for 2016 Campaign
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Photo: Benoit Photo
The Pizza Man
Midwest Thoroughbreds' well-traveled grade I winner The Pizza Man has taken up residence at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to prepare for a 2016 campaign that could include a trip to Dubai.
With a 4-1-0 record from six starts this year, including the Arlington Million (gr. IT), the son of English Channel is a contender for divisional honors in the turf male category. He has settled in well at the New Orleans track ahead of his upcoming campaign, said Midwest principal Richard Papiese.
"We're just blessed to have a horse like him and we're not done with him yet," Papiese said. "He's going to run in California in January and once more at either the Fair Grounds or Santa Anita before hopefully going to Dubai."
According to Papiese, the plan is to run The Pizza Man in the grade II San Gabriel Stakes on Jan. 2 at Santa Anita Park before a possible run in either the grade III Fair Grounds Handicap on Feb. 20 or grade II San Marcos on Feb. 6 back at Santa Anita. Ultimately, the early season goal is the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I) at Meydan March 26, while the late season goals are the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) and Japan Cup (Jpn-I).
"If he was in a different barn, I would still tell you this horse is the best turf horse in America," Papiese said.
This year, the Pizza Man shipped from his Churchill Downs base for five of six starts, including victories across the country at various distances and over top competition—crowned by a rousing win in the Arlington Million, in which he out-gutted Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Big Blue Kitten in a stretch-long drive.
The Pizza Man also has proved to be remarkably versatile, winning stakes from one mile to the marathon distance of 1 11/16-miles, when taking last year's American St. Leger.
Trained by Roger Brueggemann, The Pizza Man won two other graded stakes this year: the Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IIT) Nov. 26 at Del Mar in his most recent start and the Stars and Stripes (gr. IIIT) at Arlington International Racecourse.