Arazi Is Nominated for Blue Grass Stakes

Arazi, the highly regarded colt who came over from France to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 2, could prep for the Kentucky Derby at Keeneland instead of in France.

That became an option when Arazi was nominated for the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass Stakes April 11 Keeneland. The 1 1/4-mile Derby will be run May 2 at Churchill Downs, the scene of the Kentucky-bred colt’s awesome victory in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile in his first race on the dirt and around two turns.

Original plans for Arazi, who returned to France after his Juvenile triumph, were for his only start before the Derby to be at one mile on the grass in early April. He is back in training after undergoing minor surgical procedure on both front knees at co-owner Allen Paulsen’s Kentucky farm before his return to France.

The nomination of Arazi to the Blue Grass was received Wednesday, according to Jim Williams, director of publicity for Keeneland.

Arazi’s other owner is Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai.

Under an agreement, Arazi will race in Paulsen’s colors and be ridden by Pat Valenzuela in the United States. In Europe, he will run in Sheikh Mohammed’s colors and be ridden by Steve Cauthen. The trainer is Francois Boutin of France on both sides of the Atlantic.

Paulsen wants Arazi to run in all three U.S. Triple Crown races. Sheikh Mohammed reportedly wants the colt to race in the English Derby after the Kentucky Derby.

Before making his U.S. debut in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Arazi won five of six starts from five furlongs to one mile in France.