Mister Marti Gras Wheels Back in Hanshin Cup

Lahshad, who has won three and finished second three times over the Arlington Polytrack, exits two competitive stakes tries in his last pair of outings. He finished well to gain second May 25 at Prairie Meadows in the Jim Rasmussen Memorial Stakes, after an even third in the Milwaukee Avenue Handicap at Hawthorne Racecourse. The 5-year-old can race in mid-pack or be placed closer to the pace.

 

Mister Marti Gras is being wheeled back a week after finishing fifth in the Stars and Stripes Stakes (gr. IIIT) over Arlington's turf course. The off-the-pace runner finished second in the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (gr. II) last year and figures to make an impact here. Hogy has an excellent five-for-nine record on the Arlington Polytrack, but steps up from allowance/optional claiming company, where he won easily last month. He finished well back in last year's Hanshin Cup.

 

Stormy Pacific hasn't raced in stakes company for 10 months, but is coming off an allowance/optional claiming victory last time out over the course going seven furlongs. He has two wins and a second in four starts over the local layout. Midnight Cello raced in graded stakes company in Florida earlier this year, running an even fifth in the Fred Hooper (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park. He looks to fit here.

 

Empirestrikesagain was well back of Lahshad in the Milwaukee Avenue, but returned to miss by a neck in allowance company at Arlington. He is cutting back in distance here. Hammers Terror was pitched too high in the Miami Mile Stakes (gr. IIIT) two back, but won in allowance/optional claiming company at Churchill Downs last time out. Agent Di Nozzo is another shipping in from Churchill, where he won an allowance/optional claiming contest two back and made a modest move for sixth in the Kellys Landing Stakes there last out.

 

Taken by the Storm looks to be the speed of the proceedings here, in his first off the claim for trainer Grant Forster.