by Tom Musgrave

Undefeated Wicked Style went right to the front and never surrendered his lead, shaking off Slew's Tiznow in the stretch to win the $560,000 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (G1) by 3 1/4 lengths on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course.

Ashbrook Farm's Wicked Style secured a spot in the $2-million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) with his win in the 1 1/16-mile Futurity, one of the races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series.

Jockey Robby Albarado maneuvered the two-year-old Macho Uno colt inside approaching the first turn, bidding for the lead while four wide. Wicked Style quickly took command, pulling the field through a half-mile in :49.64 and six furlongs in 1:14.65. Wicked Style and Albarado slipped away from their challengers, taking a 2 1/2-length lead in early stretch, and held on for the clear win, finishing in 1:45.21 on Keeneland's all-weather Polytrack surface.

Albarado said he felt confident he could do well taking Wicked Style to the front early.

"Most everybody takes back here, but with this colt I knew I had a chance to [go for the lead]," Albarado said. "Today, it was either go or get hung wide. When he broke so sharp, that made up our minds to go."

Slew's Tiznow, who raced within a half-length of the winner nearing six furlongs, held off fast-closing Old Man Buck by a neck for second. The Roundhouse, favored at 2.20-to-1, finished sixth. Gold Train, who pressed the early pace, took a bad step nearing the backstretch. He was pulled up by jockey Mark Guidry and vanned off the track.

The Breeders' Futurity victory gave Wicked Style his third win in as many starts for trainer Rusty Arnold. He was shipped in to Keeneland after winning the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) on September 1 on the all-weather surface at Arlington Park. Wicked Style kicked off his career with a 1 1/2-length win on July 21 at Arlington in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race.

Out of the Trempolino mare Deviletta, Wicked Style was bred by Adena Springs. The Breeders' Futurity victory boosted his earnings to $445,000.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Tom Musgrave is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times