Sarah Sis Seeks Return to Winning Ways

Sarah Sis, winner of the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland last October, is seeking her first visit to the winner's circle since that race when she contests the Chicago Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park June 25. She has come closest to a victory in her four starts since the Raven Run with a second-place finish in the American Beauty Stakes at Oaklawn Park in January.

Trained by Ingrid Mason, the 4-year-old daughter of Sharp Humor comes into Saturday's race after finishing eighth in her previous start in the Humana Distaff (gr. I) at Churchill Downs, a surface over which she has failed to fire in two appearances.

Since the Humana Distaff, Sarah Sis has put in four works at Arlington, including a bullet five-furlong move on June 5. In her only two starts over Arlington's Polytrack, she won her debut and followed it up with a second-place finish in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes in September 2014.

 

"I'm pretty confident with her in the Chicago Handicap," Mason said. "I don't think there is a horse on the grounds [at Arlington] that can beat her."

Stakes winner You Bought Her, owned by Richard Perkins and Hinsley Racing Stable, is also coming into the Chicago Handicap from the Humana Distaff, where she finished sixth. The six-year-old mare by Graeme Hall   will attempt to move forward from that effort for trainer David Hinsley to get her second win of the year.

Steven E. Frum's Doug Matthews-trained Seeking Treasure finished off the board in her only career try over a synthetic surface in 2014, but she has proven competitive against stakes company on the grass in recent starts, having captured the Dahlia Stakes at Laurel Park in April. The 6-year-old daughter of Run Away and Hide   had a second-place finish last out in the Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth Park.

"Her last three works here have been good," Matthews said. "She's in good form. Her last two groups she caught were pretty tough. I think [seven furlongs] is just perfect for her."

Five D Thoroughbreds' Kathballu will continue seeking her first stakes win after facing graded stakes company in six of her past eight starts. She also ran in the Humana Distaff, finishing ninth, and followed that up two weeks later with a win in an allowance-optional claiming event at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old daughter of Bluegrass Cat  , from trainer Ken McPeek's barn, will be making her first start on a synthetic surface if she runs. She has also been entered in the Roxelana Stakes at Churchill the same day as the Chicago Handicap.

Rounding out the field are stakes winners Athena and Minks Aprise, and stakes-placed Run Zippy Run, City of Trix, Sweetsoutherndame, and Tiz Lately.