But the run of the second-placed horse, Have Faith In Me, got just as many tongues wagging as the winner after the quickly-run 1700m heat.
Art Union led all the way to win the heat in a 1.55.6 mile rate, giving his Dexter Dunn plenty of confidence leading in to the 1950m final on November 11.
''He was travelling pretty good. He got a bit fired up down the back, but he was always doing it pretty good,'' Dunn said.
Dunn expects Art Union's trainer, Cran Dalgety, will target one more heat in a fortnight's time, before the battle to find the country's best early 3yr-old.
''He'll probably miss next week's one and go in one the week after that and just be heading to the final after that.
''There are still a few to come out yet so you don't really know until the other ones have stepped out and see how they're going, but he's definitely grown up a bit this year and got a bit stronger, which is good.''
Art Union displayed gate speed to take the lead and dropped the pace slightly before sprinting the last 800m in 54.8sec, setting up a 1700m track record for 3yr-old colts or geldings of 2.02.1.
In fact, the first six horses home were inside the previous record of 2.03.1, set by Smiling Star in 2011, and the first four were inside the open record for male pacers of 2.02.6, set by Charge Forward in 2010.
Which makes the performance of the second-placed Have Faith In Me all the more remarkable.
The full brother to Adore Me - who, incidentally, holds the all-comers and 3yr-old fillies 1700m track record of 2.01.8 - lost the best part of six lengths going into the first turn.
The son of Bettor's Delight resented being restrained by driver Tim Williams and galloped briefly before settling off the back of the pack.
''As it turned out, I probably would have been better rolling forward and not trying to argue with him too much,'' Williams said.
Have Faith In Me sprinted well in the straight to run Art Union to 1 lengths.
''Once I pulled the plugs out round the bend, he gathered them in pretty quickly.
''I was three back the running line so I was probably giving them four or five lengths turning in - he's really got going well after the race. We'll have the hopple shorteners in next time.''
Have Faith In Me's second placing also earns him a start in the sires' stakes final.
More stories from last night's meeting at Forbury Park will be published in tomorrow's edition.
