MAN IN THE CAN opens up in Arkansas Breeders.’

HOT SPRINGS — It’s been a lucrative two weeks for the team of trainer Ron Moquett, jockey Joel Rosario and the owners of a lightly raced Arkansas-bred colt by the name of Man in the Can.

Fourteen days after winning the $100,000 Rainbow Stakes for Arkansas-bred 3-year-old colts and geldings, Man in the Can captured the most lucrative race available for state breds of any age, the $165,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship on Friday at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort.

It wasn’t easy, but Man in the Can held off the late run of odds-on favorite K J’s Nobility, a 6-year-old gelding, to win by a neck in a final time of 1:43.25 for the 1 1/16-mile distance.

Moquett said he was proud of the horse, the jockey, his staff and everybody involved in a two-week money-grab of $159,000 for owner JRita Young Thoroughbreds.

Man in the Can, making his first start around two turns, went off as the second betting choice at 5-1 odds and paid $11.80 to win.

K J’s Nobility, winner of the March 28 Nodouble Breeders’ Cup sprint, has run second in both runnings of the Arkansas Breeders.

Last year he was defeated by Hoonani Road, who did not participate this year.

“No excuse,” said Calvin Borel, rider of K J’s Nobility. “I had dead aim on him turning for home. The track’s a little fast. I just didn’t get by him. My little horse ran hard. No excuse.”

Moquett said he was focused on where K J’s Nobility was during the race once Man in the Can quickly established his position near the front, after breaking from post 11, and took the lead as the horses entered the stretch.

“I was watching him the whole race,” Moquett said of K J’s Nobility. “He’s a proven, classy horse that was a deserving favorite.”

Man in the Can, a son of Can the Man, is quickly proving to be a classy horse.

“The only thing I told Joel is I think he’s going to like going around two turns, but just remember, he’s never done it before,” Moquett said. “You’re going to have to make all the decisions for him.”

The first move Rosario made was deciding to lay just off the early pace set by Souixper Charger, who put the field through quick fractions of 22.71 for the opening quarter and 46.21 for a half mile before reaching the 6-furlong mark in 1:10.80.

“I actually thought he’d be a little further off the pace because of the post position,” Moquett said. “When he broke so well, Joel decided to take advantage of it. He sat right off the pace and came home in pretty good time.”

Rosario said the only thing he needed to do was keep the colt’s mind on his business.

“He broke well,” Rosario said, “but it looked like he was looking to the inside, like he was checking everything out. I just tried to get my spot in the first turn, and he took it from there.”

K J’s Nobility was ninth after a half mile, 83/4 lengths behind the leaders before making his run heading into the far turn.

Borel had his progress interrupted in midstretch when his mount exchanged bumps with a tiring Hamazing Vision, who ended up fifth.

K J’s Nobility got past that with a sixteenth of a mile to run and bore down on Man in the Can but could not get past.

Moquett said he can sympathize with jockey Calvin Borel and trainer Cecil Borel, but it’s not like he hasn’t been on the other side of it.

“We’re happy to finish in front,” he said. “I don’t know. I’m glad. I’ve had enough of these closers before. It always happens in that position.”