Immaculately Bred Curlin Firster Gets ‘Rising Star’ Nod

[Wandering Eyes]

Things didn't look especially good for those who crunched Michael Lund Petersen's FAUSTIN (c, 2, Curlin–Hard Not to Like, by Hard Spun) into 90 cents on the dollar for the first juvenile test of the new meet at Santa Anita, but the gray colt did his best work through the line to graduate by open lengths and become a new 'TDN Rising Star.' The March foal was not off to the most alert of beginnings and was no better than midfield and under a very busy ride from Ramon Vazquez as the quarter went up in :21.67. Still cajoled along on the turn, but able to make some headway, Faustin advanced to be fourth behind a wall of three rivals as they hit the top of the lane. Hooked wide, with stablemate Sonoran (Ride On Curlin) to catch entering the final furlong, he raced a bit greenly while gathering that one up and strode home to score by a widening three-length margin. Led out unsold on a bid of $285,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, Faustin breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 flat and was hammered down to Petersen's agent Donato Lanni for $800,000 at OBS this past April. Three-time Grade I winner Hard Not to Like was hammered down to DATTT Farm for $2.2 million at Keeneland November in 2015. Faustin is the 23rd 'Rising Star' for Curlin. Sales history: $285,000 RNA Ylg '21; $800,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR. O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-DATTT Farm (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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