Princess La Quinta Seeks Third Win in Chicago Handicap

A little more than a month after her first graded victory in the Arlington Matron Stakes (G3) at Arlington International Racecourse, Al Moorhouse and James Gulick's Princess La Quinta returns to the Illinois oval June 23 in the $100,000 Chicago Handicap (G3) looking to extend her winning streak to three. 

As one of only two challengers in the 13-horse field with a graded win on her résumé, the daughter of Quality Road  has run the majority of her races for trainer Gulick on the turf. But despite her connections' proclivity for grass, it's clear the synthetic surface is where the 4-year-old thrives, as she was defeated only once in five outs over the Arlington all-weather track.

Open to fillies and mares 3 and older, the seven-furlong Chicago Handicap will be a turn back in distance for Princess La Quinta, who has won consecutive races over distances greater than a mile. Sophie Doyle has the mount. 

Also entered are fellow Arlington Matron runners Babybluesbdancing and Kyllachy Queen, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the May 19 test. Each seeks her first graded win. 

Scratched from the June 8 Bed o' Roses Invitational Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park, grade 1 winner Union Strike returns for the first time since her seventh-place run in the Jan. 13 La Canada Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. Owned and trained by Mick Ruis and his wife, Wendy, the daughter of Union Rags  will have her first experience over synthetic in the Chicago Handicap. The highweight in the field at 120 pounds, Union Strike will be piloted by Corey Nakatani. 

Another horse for the course is 5-year-old Mines and Magic. The multiple graded stakes-placed daughter of Mineshaft  will make her Arlington debut in the Chicago, entering off a sixth-place finish in a May 24 optional-claiming allowance race at Churchill Downs for trainer Victoria Oliver. 

The oldest of Saturday's entrants is 7-year-old Illinois-bred One Liz, who won her 2018 debut May 25 at Arlington before running second in the Mike Spellman Memorial Handicap next out. The Wayne Catalano trainee will break from post 11 under jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. 

Entries: Chicago H. (G3)

Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, June 23, 2018, Race 8

• Grade III
• 7f
• All Weather Track
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:11 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Marquee Miss (KY)	Christopher A. Emigh	116	Ingrid Mason	10/1
2	2Union Strike (KY)	Corey S. Nakatani	120	Mick Ruis	3/1
3	3Oh So Terrible (KY)	Edgar Perez	113	Bradley S. Ross	30/1
4	4Kyllachy Queen (IRE)	Joseph Berrios	115	Ben Colebrook	15/1
5	5Princess La Quinta (KY)	Sophie Doyle	117	James M. Gulick	4/1
6	6Mines and Magic (KY)	Jesse M. Campbell	118	Victoria H. Oliver	10/1
7	7Hotshot Anna (KY)	Harry Hernandez	116	Hugh H. Robertson	5/1
8	8Full of Zip (KY)	Mitchell Murrill	113	Michael Stidham	30/1
9	9Babybluesbdancing (IL)	Julio E. Felix	116	Terrel Gore	12/1
10	10Natural Wonder (KY)	Declan Cannon	117	Sally Sue Schu	8/1
11	11One Liz (IL)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	118	Wayne M. Catalano	10/1
12	12Starlight Express (KY)	Rayan Gazader	113	James E. Baker	50/1
13	13Miss Nancy (KY)	Jose E. Lopez	116	Ian R. Wilkes	20/1