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Azeri’s daughter Arienza lives up to hype in debut

Posted: Monday, March 07, 2011 5:42 PM

by Mike Curry

The eagerly anticipated debut of 2002 Horse of the year Azeri’s second foal, three-year-old filly Arienza, was well worth the wait for her connections and racing fans at Oaklawn Park.

The chestnut Giant’s Causeway filly opened a commanding lead in the stretch in the final race on Sunday and coasted to a 2 1/2-length victory under Michael Baze as the 9-to-10 favorite.

Trainer Danny Peitz felt the excitement building at the Hot Springs, Arkansas, track, where Azeri won three straight editions of the Apple Blossom Stakes (G1) in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

“Her mother having won the Apple Blossom here, there was a lot of anticipation,” Peitz said. “Her mother was kind of a local legend here at Oaklawn, so it was neat to have her debut here."

Peitz trains Arienza for Robert and Lawana Low, who purchased her for $800,000 during the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale. She completed Sunday’s six-furlong maiden special weight race in 1:10.42 and emerged in good order on Monday.

“I would say right now everything looks good; I thought she came out of it in pretty good shape,” said Peitz, who trained 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) third-place finisher Steppenwolfer for the Lows.

“She just did everything very professionally. She even surprised me a little bit that she was as good about everything in the paddock. Sometimes the paddock can be a little unnerving for a first-time starter, but she walked right in there like she knew what she was supposed to do, walked right in the gate, and broke like a champion.”

Peitz said the Prima Donna Stakes at six furlongs on March 26 at Oaklawn will be a consideration for Arienza’s next start. He said he started to feel pretty confident about her ability after a visually impressive five-furlong workout in :58.80 handily on February 18 at Oaklawn.

“She had always worked okay, but two works back was the first time she’d really worked like her mother,” Peitz said. “Like I said to everybody, because she’s one I’ve been asked about a million times, and I just kept throwing out the standard line, ‘She hasn’t acted like her mother yet.’

“And then she laid down one of these :46, :58 and  change and out in 1:11 works out of the gate. Then I said, `Well, she looked like her mother this morning.’ Off of that work, I think everybody was even more excited than we already were about her, and obviously she ran to that work.”