Turf Stakes Featured on Arlington Million Preview Day
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Flying Scotsman is scheduled to make his seasonal debut July 13 in the American Derby
The three graded stakes offered on Million Preview Day July 13 at Arlington International Racecourse feature a number of runners who appear to be moving forward.
For many of Saturday's runners, another quality start will be enough to punch their ticket to the corresponding top-level races featured Arlington Million Day, Aug. 10.
The three grade 3 turf races scheduled Saturday will be run as races 6-8, with the Modesty Handicap (G3T) for fillies and mares getting things started, followed by the Arlington Handicap (G3T) for 3-year-olds and older and the American Derby (G3T) for 3-year-olds. The Modesty is a prep for the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T), the Arlington Handicap could put some runners in the Arlington Million (G1T), and the American Derby is a prep for the Secretariat Stakes (G1T).
Shipping in from the West Coast for the Modesty is Cloros Bloodstock's Simply Breathless, who extended her win streak to three races and nailed down a grade 3 last out when she rallied from seventh for a clear victory in the Wilshire Stakes (G3T) June 22 on the turf at Santa Anita Park.
A 4-year-old daughter of Bated Breath, Simply Breathless was sent to the United States and trainer Neil Drysdale this year. She won her U.S. debut April 27 when she rallied from fourth to win the Golden Poppy Stakes on the Golden Gate Fields turf.
Flavien Prat, who has been aboard for both 2019 starts, will make the trip to the Chicago area for Saturday's 1 3/16-mile test that has drawn nine fillies and mares.
Favored at 3-1 in the Arlington Handicap is Captivating Moon, who will be making his first start since finishing third in the Jefferson Cup Stakes in September at Churchill Downs. Trained by Chris Block, Captivating Moon is looking for his first graded stakes win, but the 4-year-old son of Malibu Moon has placed second in three graded stakes, including last year's American Derby.
A season ago when he was trained by Dermot Weld, Calumet Farm's Bandua secured a grade 1 placing by finishing third in the Secretariat. Now trained by Jack Sisterson, Bandua will return to Arlington for the first time since that effort for the Arlington Handicap. Though Bandua has never won in the U.S., he has posted some solid races, including a second-place finish in this year's Fair Grounds Handicap (G3T) behind Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots stalwart Synchrony. He enters off a sixth-place finish in the Manhattan Stakes (G1T), but he raced in second into the stretch in that test.
"I was happy with the overall performance," Sisterson said. "He finished up well considering how much we had to use early in the race. I think this could be a great steppingstone for him. We know he has the talent and he's been training really well coming into this race. We just hope he can get his head out there in front and I think he has the talent to take them all the way."
Bandua, a 4-year-old son of The Factor , is the 7-2 morning-line second choice in the expected field of 10 going 1 3/16 miles.
Sisterson and Calumet Farm also figure prominently in the American Derby where they'll team with Flying Scotsman, who will be making his seasonal debut after closing his juvenile season with a 4 1/4-length victory in the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) Nov. 25 at Del Mar.
"I think he could go six or seven furlongs, or go a mile and a quarter," Sisterson said. "He's such a versatile horse and has a really high cruising speed. He can get himself into the race and relax. He has a ton of talent, and I'm really looking forward to seeing him perform on Saturday."
The 1 1/16-mile test also has attracted Lucky Seven Stable's Crafty Daddy, a winner of three straight. The son of Scat Daddy making his stakes debut is trained by Brad Cox.
Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, July 13, 2019, Race 6 Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, July 13, 2019, Race 7 Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, July 13, 2019, Race 8Entries: Modesty H. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Maroubra (FR)
Miguel Mena
115
Cherie DeVaux
8/1
2
2Juliet Foxtrot (GB)
Florent Geroux
115
Brad H. Cox
3/1
3
3Simply Breathless (GB)
Flavien Prat
119
Neil D. Drysdale
9/5
4
4Cascanueces (KY)
Jose Valdivia, Jr.
118
Ignacio Correas, IV
15/1
5
5Oh So Terrible (KY)
Jose E. Lopez
113
Bradley S. Ross
20/1
6
6Remember Daisy (LA)
Mitchell Murrill
115
Gary M. Scherer
8/1
7
7Na Pali Spirit (KY)
Drayden Van Dyke
115
Ignacio Correas, IV
6/1
8
8Always Believe (KY)
Pedro L. Cotto, Jr.
114
Michael E. Lauer
20/1
9
9Vexatious (KY)
Adam Beschizza
118
Jack Sisterson
6/1
Entries: Arlington H. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Bandua (KY)
Adam Beschizza
116
Jack Sisterson
7/2
2
2Botswana (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
112
Bentley Combs
30/1
3
3Nobrag Justfact (KY)
Eddie Martin, Jr.
116
Eric L. Heitzmann
8/1
4
4Spooky Channel (KY)
Julio E. Felix
116
Brian A. Lynch
8/1
5
5El Picaro (CHI)
Jose Valdivia, Jr.
119
Ignacio Correas, IV
9/2
6
6Captivating Moon (KY)
Carlos H. Marquez, Jr.
118
Chris M. Block
3/1
7
7The Great Day (ARG)
Flavien Prat
120
Arnaud Delacour
8/1
8
8Royal Artillery (KY)
Miguel Mena
115
Ignacio Correas, IV
20/1
9
9Cullum Road (KY)
Florent Geroux
117
Michael J. Maker
9/2
10
10My Bariley (KY)
Drayden Van Dyke
116
Anthony J. Granitz
20/1
Entries: American Derby (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1High Crime (KY)
Julio E. Felix
119
Darrin Miller
15/1
2
2War Film (KY)
Miguel Mena
119
Steven M. Asmussen
12/1
3
3Faraway Kitten (KY)
Adam Beschizza
126
Michael J. Maker
8/1
4
4Strong Will (KY)
Christopher A. Emigh
119
Larry Rivelli
12/1
5
5Bundibunan (KY)
Jose Valdivia, Jr.
119
Ignacio Correas, IV
6/1
6
6Another Mystery (IL)
Carlos H. Marquez, Jr.
119
Chris M. Block
12/1
7
7Cornstarch (KY)
Edgar Perez
119
Marat Kozhomzharov
30/1
8
8Rhythmia (FL)
Carlos Joan Ulloa
119
Michael L. Reavis
30/1
9
9The Last Zip (KY)
Drayden Van Dyke
119
Michael Stidham
6/1
10
10Mick's Star (KY)
Jermaine V. Bridgmohan
119
Thomas M. Amoss
15/1
11
11Flying Scotsman (KY)
Flavien Prat
119
Jack Sisterson
3/1
12
12Crafty Daddy (KY)
Florent Geroux
123
Brad H. Cox
9/2
13
13Conative (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
119
Marat Kozhomzharov
20/1
