Major Milestone Awaits Secretariat Stakes Winner
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Photo: Coady Photography
Fog of War schools at Arlington International Racecourse
The Aug. 10 Secretariat Stakes (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse is going to be a breakout race for the winner, and top international trainer Aidan O'Brien brings two into the nine-horse field looking to raise their stakes-winning credentials to grade 1 status.
Irish-bred Never No More, one of 11 black-type winners from the first crop of second-crop sire No Nay Never, has the best momentum coming into the one-mile turf test among the O'Brien entries, having already won two seven-furlong stakes in his two starts this year. The colt raced by longtime partners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier, has won three of his five lifetime starts and finished second in one other.
The ownership trio also brings in Van Beethoven, a son of the late Scat Daddy (the sire of No Nay Never) that became a group 2 winner in June of his 2-year-old year but has struggled since to find the winner's circle. The colt out of the Montbrook mare My Sister Sandy has tested group 1 waters in his last three starts but has finished no better than sixth in those attempts.
Top European rider Ryan Moore took the mount on Never No More, while Wayne Lordan will be riding Van Beethoven in the field of nine 3-year-olds.
Trainer Chad Brown is hoping the Secretariat will validate the grade 1 credentials of Peter Brant's colt Fog of War, who is the race's 3-1 morning-line favorite. The War Front colt defeated War of Will to win last year's Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine. Despite his two wins from two starts at 2, however, Fog of War has not been able to backup his favored status in his last two black-type starts with a win. Last out, the colt out of the Galileo mare Say was half a length behind Win Win Win in the Manila Stakes at Belmont Park.
Brown also has e Five Racing and Mike Ryan's undefeated Scat Daddy colt Valid Point, who jumps into the grade 1 fray from a 3 1/2-length victory June 7 in an $80,000 allowance optional claiming test at a mile on the Belmont turf. Valid Point is out of the Buddha mare Goldbud, a half sister to grade 1 winner Santa Teresita (by Lemon Drop Kid ).
The only other graded stakes winner in the field is Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Faraway Kitten, who comes into the Secretariat off a neck victory in the July 13 American Derby (G3T) at Arlington. The colt out of the Indian Charlie mare Far Isle has won five of his nine lifetime starts and won three of his last four starts. Prior to winning the American Derby, Faraway Kitten won the one-mile Mystic Lake Derby on the grass at Canterbury Park. The colt is trained by Mike Maker and will be ridden by John Velazquez.
The Secretariat field also includes Crafty Daddy (by Scat Daddy) and The Last Zip (by City Zip), the two horses who finished in a dead heat for second in the American Derby.,
Lucky Seven Stable's Crafty Daddy is trained by Brad Cox and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who has already won three races aboard the colt. The Last Zip, owned by Stallionaire Enterprises and trained by Michael Stidham, has only finished worse than second once in six lifetime starts and that was in his debut Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He broke his maiden by half a length in a one-mile turf maiden special weight June 14 at Belmont Park before finishing in a dead heat as runner up in the American Derby. The Last Zip will be ridden by Adam Beschizza.
Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, August 10, 2019, Race 10Entries: Secretariat S. (G1T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Clint Maroon (GB)
Channing Hill
121
Wayne M. Catalano
20/1
2
2Van Beethoven (ON)
Wayne Lordan
121
Aidan P. O'Brien
8/1
3
3Never No More (IRE)
Ryan L. Moore
121
Aidan P. O'Brien
6/1
4
4The Last Zip (KY)
Adam Beschizza
121
Michael Stidham
6/1
5
5Ry's the Guy (KY)
Chris Landeros
121
Ian R. Wilkes
15/1
6
6Fog of War (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
121
Chad C. Brown
3/1
7
7Valid Point (KY)
Javier Castellano
121
Chad C. Brown
5/1
8
8Faraway Kitten (KY)
John R. Velazquez
123
Michael J. Maker
9/2
9
9Crafty Daddy (KY)
Florent Geroux
121
Brad H. Cox
5/1
