by Jeff Apel

Well Armed gained command from three wide in early stretch and posted a one-length win in the $498,000 Goodwood Stakes (G1) on Saturday at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.

The win earned Well Armed an automatic starting spot in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on October 25 at Santa Anita as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series.

Informed and Mast Track dueled for the lead in the Goodwood through an opening quarter in :23.26 and half-mile in :46.81. Well Armed stalked the pace in third through six furlongs in 1:10.31 under jockey Aaron Gryder.

Moving up on the turn, Well Armed opened a head lead in early stretch and won the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:47.11 on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface.

“Well Armed has relaxed more and more in his training since we went to Del Mar, and that’s what Aaron [Gryder] taught him,” winning trainer Eoin Harty said. “Going a mile-and-an-eighth or a mile-and-a-quarter on the lead is very, very hard to do, so now we’ve another trick up our sleeve."

Multiple Grade 1 winner Tiago closed from last in the ten-horse field to finish second, three-quarters of a length in front of stakes-winning third-place finisher Albertus Maximus.

Harty trains Well Armed for owner-breeder WinStar Farm. After winning the San Antonio Handicap (G2) on February 9 at Santa Anita, the Tiznow gelding finished third, eight lengths behind reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29 at Nad al Sheba racecourse.

Well Armed made his previous two starts at Del Mar. The bay gelding won the San Diego Handicap (G2) on July 19 prior to posting a runner-up finish in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) in his previous start on August 24.

Well Armed earned his sixth win in 19 starts and increased his earnings to $1,530,803. Bred in Kentucky, Well Armed is a half brother to Grade 1-placed winner Helsinki and is one of three winners from as many starters out of stakes winner Well Dressed, by Notebook.

“It’s certainly gratifying to have two horses pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” said Harty, who also trains Breeders Cup Classic contender Colonel John. “I’m just very fortunate to have them right now. I’ve managed to dodge land mines along the way, but they’re both very sound horses, and I think that’s a trait that Tiznow throws to his stock.”

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor