Creative Cause’s 3-year-old colt Pavel couldn’t have been more impressive in his debut in a maiden special weight affair Saturday at Santa Anita Park, drawing off in the stretch to win the 6 1/2-furlong race by 4 1/2-lengths.
Pavel is Creative Cause’s second TDN Rising Star. His first, Running Mate, an Airdrie homebred, was stakes-placed last year as a 2-year-old.
Pavel faced several more experienced runners, but handled the task with plenty of professionalism, dueling for the lead for the first half-mile, then pulling clear in the stretch to stop the timer in a very quick 1:15.43 on the fast main track.
The winner was bred in partnership by Brereton Jones and WinStar Farm and is out of Mons Venus, who has also produced the multiple graded stakes winner Caracortado and last year’s Rushaway S. winner He’ll Pay. Pavel sold for $90,000 as a weanling at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. He is owned by Reddam Racing.
