Arabian Lion

Arabian Lion won his career debut impressively in a 2-year-old maiden race at Santa Anita on Oct. 9, 2022, getting the win at first asking for trainer Bob Baffert in wire-to-wire fashion by a margin of three lengths over a seven-horse field.

Fresh off the maiden win, Arabian Lion was sent to Keeneland for his second career start in a $160,000 allowance race on the Breeders' Cup Friday undercard on Nov. 4. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite that day in a field of 10, Arabian Lion had to settle for second, beaten three-quarters of a length by Giant Mischief at the distance of 6 1/2 furlongs.

Arabian Lion attempted to regroup in his next start, which came back in California in the Grade 2 $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity in his first route attempt and first race around two turns. Arabian Lion was favored for the third time in as many races when sent off as the 2-5 favorite a part of a five-horse field, but it did not turn out to be Arabian Lion's day. Sent up by jockey John Velazquez from the outside post, Arabian Lion pressed the pace into and around the second turn and challenged on the backstretch but quickly emptied out and fell back to last turning for home. He finished behind the rest of the field in fifth.

Arabian Lion's next start was his 3-year-old debut outing in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 4, 2023. Arabian Lion was sent off at 2-1 odds in a four-horse field but finished last when beaten 5 1/2 lengths.

Arabian Lion next resurfaced in the Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 15. After drawing the far outside post in a field of 10 going 1 1/16 miles, Arabian Lion sprinted straight to the front and led much of the way until getting confronted by First Mission, and eventually got passed to settle for second in what was a good rebound effort, beaten a half a length while 4 1/4 lengths ahead of the third-place finisher, Disarm.

The next start for Arabian Lion came on May 20 in the Sir Barton Stakes as a part of the Preakness Day undercard at Pimlico. Sent off as the 2-5 favorite in a field of five horses in the Sir Barton, Arabian Lion was sent right to the front and cruised to a wire-to-wire victory by a four-length margin.

Up next for Arabian Lion, trainer Bob Baffert brought the 3-year-old to Belmont Park to run on the Belmont Stakes undercard in the Grade 1 $400,000 Woody Stephens Stakes going seven furlongs. Sent off as the 2.35-1 favorite in a nine-horse field in the Woody Stephens, Arabian Lion sat just off the pace all the way and successfully made his move to the lead in the stretch to draw off to a 1 3/4-length victory. The win gave the versatile son of Justify his first Grade 1 triumph. He followed with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course.