Tom Seaver, 2-year-old colt, goes the distance for the win in first appearance

ARCADIA, Calif. — Tom Seaver made his racing debut a winning one at Santa Anita on Sunday.

The 2-year-old gray colt named for the late Hall of Fame pitcher won the $61,000 first race by three-quarters of a length after rallying on the outside down the stretch.

Ridden by Antonio Fresu, Tom Seaver ran six furlongs on the turf in 1:10.58. Trained by Phil D'Amato, he paid $5.40 to win as the 8-5 wagering favorite in the eight-horse field.

Owner-breeder Nick Alexander is known for naming his horses after people who have overcome long odds or persevered. He's also a baseball fan and one of his stakes-winning horses was named Pee Wee Reese after the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop.

The equine Tom Seaver did a little better in his debut than his namesake. The pitcher made his first major-league appearance for the Mets on April 13, 1967 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Seaver allowed two runs, six hits and four walks, with eight strikeouts, in 5 1/3 innings and got no decision in a 3-2 win.

Seaver went on to become one of just two pitchers with more than 300 wins, 3,000 strikeouts and an ERA under 3.00. He died in 2020 at age 75.