The Pizza Man Seeks Stars And Stripes Repeat

Last year's Stars and Stripes winner, The Pizza Man, will try to deliver again, running in this event for the third straight year. The 6-year-old gelding has a sterling eight wins and two other placings in 11 trips over the Arlington turf. He also has recent form, having won the Opening Verse Stakes May 30 at Churchill Downs in his most recent start. The versatile The Pizza Man can show early speed or proceed from a tracking position.

 

Dramedy —along with The Pizza Man cross-entered in the Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT)—will carry high weight of 124 pounds in the race, coming off a score in the Elkhorn Stakes (gr. IIT) at Keeneland in April. He showed a new dimension in that race, going to the lead and holding off Dynamic Sky late. This will mark his first start at Arlington.

 

Yankee Dealer , also cross-entered, has been running almost exclusively in allowance optional claiming company for the past year, but is coming in off a victory over Arlington's yielding turf May 25. He sports an outstanding six wins, one second, and two thirds from 10 starts over the Arlington grass, but will be tested for class here.

 

Another with recent form is Xtra Luck, winner of the Louisville Handicap at Churchill May 23. He has hit the board in half of his 20 lifetime races and has won two of his last three starts. Afortable has done most of his damage in allowance contests but he does like the course, showing a  1-1-1 record in four starts at Arlington.

 

Three Hearts is the lone female in the Stars and Stripes. The California shipper won the Red Carpet Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Del Mar last summer and has been competitive in graded stakes since, but threw in her worst start of the past few years last out when ninth in the Gamely Stakes (gr. IT).  For Greater Glory was second to Xtra Luck in the Louisville Handicap last out. Castlederg is a maiden winner who needs to step up his game here.  Calvados, fifth in the Louisville, also needs to find something extra.

 

Roman Approval carried his speed wire-to-wire at 1 3/8 miles in lesser company at Belmont Park last out, while Mister Marti Gras hit the board in Arlington's Washington Park Handicap (gr. IIIT) last summer.