Arzak won a tight photo in Monday’s $75,000 Tom Ridge S. at Presque Isle Downs, prevailing by a nose over Smokin’ Jay to give the 3-year-old son of Not This Time his first stakes win.

Arzak is the seventh stakes winner this year for Not This Time, who leads all Second-Crop Sires in the category, as well as by wins, stakes horses and graded stakes winners.

Off a beat slow in the six-furlong race, Arzak quickly recovered to move up to fourth along the rail in the first quarter-mile. He held his spot until swinging three-wide into the stretch. He came between horses in attempt to run down Smokin’ Jay, who had taken over at the top of the lane. Arzak rallied very gamely as the two head-bobbed all the way to the wire.

The final time was 1:10.08 on the synthetic surface, good for a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

Arzak, twice stakes-placed prior to Monday, is now 3-1-1 in nine starts and has earned $129,447. He is owned by Sonata Stable and sold for $575,000 at the OBS 2020 2-year-old Spring sale.

Arzak was bred by John Oxley and is from the same family as multiple graded stakes winner Bending Strings.

(Video replay, race 5, begins at 5:00 minute mark)