Evening Jewel seeks another Jewel
Harness Stakes Action
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Arlington Million
Gio Ponti Looking to Score Again
Multiple champion Gio Ponti will bid for a repeat victory in the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes on Saturday at Arlington Park, the headlining event of the International Festival of Racing.
Last year, Gio Ponti won the Arlington Million to cap a four-race Grade 1 winning streak that cemented the Eclipse Award as champion turf male. As the runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, he also nailed down champion older male honors. In addition to the Million, run at 1 ¼ miles on the turf, Gio Ponti won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap, the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap and the Man o’ War Stakes.
The colt was winless in three races to start his five-year-old campaign, posting runner-up finishes in the Tampa Bay Stakes and Manhattan Handicap and a fourth-place finish in Dubai in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup. Gio Ponti regained his winning stride in his most recent start with a game victory in the Man o’ War by a neck over Mission Approved.
The 7-to-5 morning-line favorite for the Arlington Million, Gio Ponti will face nine challengers, including a trio who prepped for the Million in Europe.
Group 3 winner, Tazeez is winless in four starts this season but has not finished out of the top three, including a third-place finish at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Eng-G1) for trainer John Gosden. The six-year-old Silver Hawk gelding was beaten by 1 1/4 lengths by Byword in that race.
Tazeez enters the Arlington Million off a third-place finish in the Princess of Wales’s Sportingbet.com Stakes on July 8th at Newmarket.
Summit Surge won the Sky Bet York Stakes on July 24th at York. A three-time group stakes winner for Luca Cumani, the six-year-old Noverre gelding has won seven of 28 career starts.
Multiple group stakes winner Debussy has won one of five starts this year and enters off a fourth-place finish in the York Stakes.
The Arlington Million also drew last year’s runner-up Just as Well and multiple Grade 1 winners Marsh Side and General Quarters.
Beverly D.
Tuscan Evening’s Demise leaves Race Wide Open
Tuscan Evening’s sad demise earlier this month has left the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes devoid of any obvious favorite. Tuscan Evening won Arlington’s Modesty Handicap one month ago. The grade I winner, six-for-six in 2010, would have been a clear-cut favorite but she collapsed and died following a six-furlong workout at Del Mar.
Her loss has cast on a long shadow on this year’s Beverly D., a 1 3/16-mile turf test that attracted 10 older fillies and mares. The tepid 4-1 morning line favorite is Rainbow View, who attempts to rebound from a fourth-place finish in the Modesty. Others could end up as the actual favorite, however, including Treat Gently, Ave, Éclair de Lune, and Hot Cha Cha, all listed at 6-1 or less.
Rainbow View, Europe’s champion two-year-old filly in 2008, has won two of three starts this year for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, when she was transferred from England to the U.S. She was tabbed the 4-to-1 favorite on the morning line. She is a seven-time winner in 15 starts over grass in four countries spanning two continents
Rainbow View won the Gallorette Handicap earlier this season prior to a third-place finish in the Nassau Stakes at Woodbine in June. She enters the Beverly D. off a fourth-place finish in the Modesty Handicap. Rainbow View has a lifetime earnings mark of $1,129,464, drew post 5 for the Beverly D. and will once again team up with Eclipse Award winning jockey Julien Leparoux,
German-bred Éclair de Lune, runner-up by a half-length to Tuscan Evening in the Modesty, could give Arlington chairman Richard L. Duchossois a victory in the race named in memory of his late wife. The Ron McAnally-trained daughter of Marchand de Sable has shown improvement in each of her starts since being sent to North America before the start of this season.
The Marchand de Sable filly is winless in three races this season after winning two of six starts in France. She is the third choice in the early odds at 5-1; the 4-year-old filly pursues her first stakes win with the services of Arlington Park’s leading rider, Junior Alvarado. The drew post 6.
Listed as the 9-2 second choice in the morning line, Treat Gently comes into the Beverly D. off back-to-back scores in the Sheepshead at Belmont Park and the Robert G. Dick Memorial Handicap at Delaware Park. The 5-year-old who will start from post 9, is trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the Hall of Fame duo that teamed to win last year’s Beverly D. with Dynaforce.
Desormeaux rode Treat Gently to victory in the Sheepshead Bay, which she captured by 4 1/2 lengths. Transferred from France for a summer campaign in 2009, Treat Gently has been first or second in nine of 14 starts, winning five, with earnings of $482,870.
The race also drew multiple graded stakes winner Acoma; South African multiple Group 1 winner Gypsy’s Warning, winner of the Eatontown Handicap in May.
Also pegged at 5-1 is Ave. The English-bred daughter of Danehill Dancer is winless tin 2010 but has been competitive in all three of her starts.
The 4-year-old Ave ran third, beaten only a half-length by Rainbow View, in the Gallorette before finishing third in the New York Stakes at Belmont. In her last start, the bay filly lost by a nose to Mekong Melody in Woodbine’s nine-furlong Dance Smartly. Ramon Dominguez has the mount aboard Ave, who drew post 10.
Hot Cha Cha, third in the Modesty last time out, became a force last September as a 3-year-old when she won the Pucker Up Stakes over the Arlington course. She next captured the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Keeneland last October.
Right there in all four of her graded stakes efforts so far in 2010, Hot Cha Cha scored by three-quarters of a length in the Mint Julep Handicap at Churchill Downs. The Philip Sims trainee, listed as 6-1 in the morning line, drew post 2 and will again team with her regular rider James Graham. She has won six of 16 starts and banked $743,052.
Acoma, a daughter of Empire Maker, makes her third start of the year at 8-1 on the morning line. The 5-year-old just missed by a neck when fourth as the 7-5 favorite in the Locust Grove Handicap at Churchill Downs. The multiple graded stakes winner has won eight of 16 in her career while earning $693,398. A four-time winner in seven turf starts, she drew post 3 and will be ridden by Jesus Castanon.
Gypsy’s Warning, a South African-bred, won the Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park by a nose in her U.S. debut. She would tire to fifth, however, in her most recent start, the Dance Smartly. Leaving from post 4, the Graham Motion-trained mare will be ridden by European-based jockey William Buick and is listed at 10-1 in the morning line.
Adding more spice to this year’s Beverly D. lineup are Two European invaders starting in the U.S. for the first time –Pachattack and Biased.
Pachattack has raced exclusively in Great Britain and comes to the Beverly D. off back-to-back tallies in Listed stakes. The 4-year-old filly, at 8-1, will be ridden by Kieren Fallon and will start from the rail.
Biased, an English-bred daughter of Haafhd, has spent her entire career in France where she has compiled a record of three wins from 12 starts, her most recent victory coming over an allowance field at Longchamp in July. In her last start, the 4-year-old finished third in the Listed Prix de la Pepiniere at Maisons-Laffitte. Leaving from post 7 at early odds of 20-1, Biased will be ridden by Gregory Benoist.
Completing the field for the Beverly D. is Romacaca. The locally based daughter of Running Stag returns to her home course after posting a five-length victory in the Mountaineer Park’s Firecracker Stakes in West Virginia. The 4-year-old Nick Canani-trained filly is four-for-five over the Arlington turf course but has never traversed the Beverly D. distance.
Secretariat Stakes
Paddy O’Prado is Doing it Right
This Saturday, the $400,000 Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes has Paddy O’Prado in the limelight as he looks to be the top 3-year-old turf horse in the nation. The 1 1/4-mile turf pits Paddy against six 3-year-old rivals.
The three year old colt was pegged as the even-money favorite for the race. He wasn’t always considered “favorite” material. Winless in three starts as a juvenile and did not break his maiden until pulling an upset in the March 6th Palm Beach Stakes in his fifth start. A little more than four months later, he became a millionaire.
Trainer Dale saw athleticism in the gray/roan colt that he hoped would make him a star one day. He was right and even thought that turf was his best surface. He then threw Paddy O’Prado onto the Triple Crown trail, a decision that netted him a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and a sixth in the Preakness. After that it was back to turf, where Paddy O’Prado has really turned it on.
In his last two starts, he won the Colonial Cup Turf and Virginia Derby both at Colonial Downs, vaulting him to the top of the class. Now, he seeks his first grade I victory.
Regular rider Kent Desormeaux will ride Paddy O’Prado in the Secretariat and they will break from post 1.
The main competition for the favorite could come from Workin for Hops, who was a 2 1/4-length victor in both the Arlington Classic and the American Derby. Sandwiched between those local triumphs, Workin for Hops finished second to Paddy O’Prado in the Colonial Turf Cup. Should Workin for Hops pull off the minor upset, he would become the first horse to sweep Arlington’s Mid-American Triple since Honor Glide did in 1997.
Overall, the gelding has produced a 5-2-0 mark from eight starts and has earned $356,176. Francisco Torres retains the mount on Workin for Hops, who is owned by Estrorace, and the pair will break from post 7.
The only European-based runner is Wigmore Hall. The Irish-bred son of High Chapparal makes his North American debut after scoring victories in his previous two starts in England. The Michael Bell-trained gelding won his most recent effort at Newmarket by 1 1/4 lengths after previously tallying a nose victory when taking the John Smiths Cup at York. Jamie Spencer makes the trans-Atlantic journey to guide Wigmore Hall, who has been pegged as the 5-1 third choice.
Mister Marti Gras looks to rebound from his runner-up finish in the American Derby. The locally based colt won the Oliver Stakes at Indiana Downs in his previous start after finishing fourth in the Arlington Classic. He is trained by Chris Block.
Dean’s Kitten finished third in the American Derby but was disqualified and placed fourth for interference in the stretch. The son of Kitten’s Joy ran second behind Paddy O’Prado in the Palm Beach Stakes and later won the Lane’s End Stakes over Polytrack at Turfway. The Mike Maker-trained colt will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.
Evening Jewel seeks another Jewel
The Del Mar Oaks
The versatile 3-year-old filly Evening Jewel, perfect in two starts on the turf, looks to collect another “jewel” this Saturday as she faces a full field in the $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile grass event for 3-year-old fillies.
A win at the seaside track will give her second Grade 1 victory of the season. The going will be tough as she faces American Oaks winner Harmonious and Canadian shipper Perfect Shirl, winner of Saratoga’s Lake George Stakes.
Evening Jewel captured the Ashland Stakes on Polytrack, missed by a nose to Blind Luck in the prestigious Kentucky Oaks in her only try on dirt, and has won the Honeymoon and the San Clemente handicaps in her last two starts on grass. With three graded stakes wins and three runner-up finishes in her six starts this season, Evening Jewel has placed herself in the running for champion three-year-old filly honors along with Devil May Care and Blind Luck.
Evening Jewel will have Victor Espinoza in the irons once again and they will break from post four.
Grade 1 winners Harmonious and Crisp should provide the toughest competition for Evening Jewel on Saturday.
Evening Jewel, the likely favorite will also get her first look at American Oaks winner Harmonious, a daughter of Dynaformer who is on a three-race winning streak for trainer John Shirreffs. She captured the 1 1/4-mile Oaks impressively with a three-wide move in the stretch by 1 1/4 lengths over Antares World, who is also in the Del Mar Oaks field.
Crisp, who beat Evening Jewel by one length in the Santa Ysabel Stakes in January, will try for her first win on turf. Crisp, a filly trained by John Sadler for Michael Talla, is winless in four starts since capturing the Santa Anita Oaks.
Crisp finished second to Del Mar Oaks entrant It Tiz in the one-mile Le Cle Stakes in her turf debut on July 1 and enters off a fourth-place finish in the San Clemente.
Perfect Shirl heads west after her three-quarters-of-a-length upset at 9-1 odds in the Lake George, which was her stakes debut. Trained by Roger Attfield, the Kentucky-bred is also on a three-race winning streak. She has spent most of her 3-year-old campaign at Woodbine, where she was ridden by Chantal Sutherland, who makes the trip as well.
Irish-bred Berg Bahn, will make her first United States start. She won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes at seven furlongs at Fairyhouse in her most recent outing June 30 at 14-1 odds. Alex Solis returns to Southern California to ride.
A second European, British-bred Distinctive, won the six-furlong Firth of Clyde Stakes by nearly four lengths as a 2-year-old at Scotland’s Ayr Racecourse. Fifth of 17 in the Stanjames.com One Thousand Guineas in May, she ran fourth in the Brownstown Stakes last time out. Brice Blanc has the call.
Also in the field are It Tiz, a minor stakes winner on the Hollywood Park turf in July, and Warren’s Jitterbug, who has a win on the course against optional claimers in her last race July 30.
Around The Track
News You Can Use
Sam Houston Race Park
Sam Houston Race Park has not requested a Thoroughbred meeting for 2011, and the Houston track is willing to transfer an estimated $4.8-million from its purse account to Lone Star Park so that the Dallas-area track can boost its product.
The purse account money, which will be derived from simulcast revenue at Sam Houston, would boost Lone Star’s purses from $150,000 a day in 2010 to $230,000 for ‘11, Lone Star President Drew Shubeck said. Lone Star requested 60 race dates next year, the same number it ran this year. The 2011 meeting would run from April 7 through July 17, typically racing four days a week.
Santa Anita
Santa Anita owner, Frank Stronach has plans to revert the racing oval at the Arcadia, California track, back to dirt before the start of the Santa Anita meet on December 26th of this year…
Remington Park
Oklahoma City’s Remington Park’s Thoroughbred Season returned to BetAmerica.com this Thursday. Race days for the meet will be Wednesday through Saturday with a 6:30 p.m. EDT p post time. The meet will end on December 11th of this year. Remington will have two special posts: Labor Day – Monday, September 6 at 2:30 p.m. EST and Oklahoma Derby Day, Sunday, October 10th also at 2:30 p.m. EST.
The Red Mile
Standardbred fans are cheering having the Red Mile back at BetAmerica.com. Racing runs through October 7th running on Sundays, Mondays, & Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. (Exceptions: Dark on Mondays, August 16, 30 & September 20) Then the post time changes October 13 through October 23 with a 12:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday schedule.
Known for its red clay, one-mile track, The Red Mile is the second oldest harness track in the world. For over 130 years, harness racing’s elite have converged on The Red Mile to stage some of the greatest equine battles in history
Thoroughbred Racing Action
Weekend Stakes Action
Summertime! Chicagoland rules this weekend with the Arlington Million and three other graded stakes races. Watch these and more all on BetAmerica.com.
Friday – August 20
• Assiniboia Downs: Agassiz Stakes, $50,000g, 3&up, c/g, Manitoba-bred, 8f.
• Del Mar: Sandy Blue Handicap, $75,000, 3yo f, 8f (turf).
Saturday – August 21
• Arlington Park: Arlington Million XXVIII – G1, $1,000,000, 3&up, 10f (turf).
• Arlington Park: Beverly D. – G1, $750,000, 3&up, f/m, 9.5f (turf).
• Arlington Park: Secretariat Stakes – G1, $400,000, 3yo, 10f (turf).
• Arlington Park: Stars and Stripes – G3, $100,000, 3&up, 13f (turf).
• Calder Race Course: Vid Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, 8.5f (turf).
• Charles Town: Frank Gall Memorial Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, West Virginia-bred, 7f.
• Del Mar: Del Mar Oaks – G1, $300,000, 3yo f, 9f (turf).
• Laurel Park: Mister Diz Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, Maryland-bred, 6f (turf).
• Monmouth Park: Philip H. Iselin Breeders’ Cup Stakes – G3, $250,000, 3&up, 9f.
• Monmouth Park: Omnibus Stakes, $100,000, 3&up, f/m, 11f (turf).
• Northlands Park: Canadian Derby (Can-III), $300,000, 3yo, 11f.
• Northlands Park: Edmonton Distaff, $75,000, 3&up, f/m, 8.5f.
• Northlands Park: Speed to Spare, $75,000, 3&up, 11f.
• Pinnacle Race Course: Moonbeam Handicap, $20,000, 3&up, f/m, Michigan-bred, 8f.
• Remington Park: Remington Park Sprint Cup, $200,000, 3&up, 6f.
• Remington Park: Governor’s Cup, $150,000, 3&up, 8.5f.
• Suffolk Downs: Louise Kimball Stakes, $50,000, 3yo f, Massachusetts-bred, 6f.
• Thistledown: Miss Ohio Stakes, $50,000, 2yo f, Ohio-bred, 6f
Sunday – August 22
• Albuquerque: Carlos Salazar Stakes, $40,000, 3&up, f/m, New Mexico-bred, 6.5f.
• Albuquerque: Casey Darnell Pony Express, $40,000, 3&up, New Mexico-bred, 5.5f.
• Albuquerque: Chief Narbona Stakes, $40,000, 3yo f, New Mexico-bred, 6f.
• Albuquerque: Don Juan de Onate Stakes, $40,000, 3yo, New Mexico-bred, 6f.
• Albuquerque: Lineage Stakes, $40,000, 3&up, New Mexico-bred, 8.5f.
• Albuquerque: Lineage Day Claiming Stakes, $10,000, 3&up, New Mexico-bred, 5.5f.
• Albuquerque: Arapahoe Park: Gold Rush Futurity, 40,000, 2yo, 6f.
• Canterbury Park: MTA Stallion Auction Stakes, $25,000, 3yo, c/g, 6.5f.
• Canterbury Park: MTA Stallion Auction Stakes, $25,000, 3yo f, 6.5f.
• Del Mar: Rancho Bernardo Handicap – G3, $150,000, 3&up, f/m, 6.5f.
• Del Mar: Solana Beach Handicap, $100,000, 3&up, f/m, California-bred, 8f (turf).
• Emerald Downs: Longacres Mile Breeders’ Cup – G3, $175,000, 3&up, 8f.
• Emerald Downs: Emerald Distaff, $75,000, 3&up, f/m, 9f.
• Monmouth Park: Colts Neck, $100,000, 3&up, New Jersey-bred, 6f.
• Monmouth Park: Trenton Stakes, $100,000, 3&up, f/m, 6f.
• Northlands Park: Sonoma Stakes, $50,000, 3yo f, 8.5f.
• Yavapai Downs: Mile-Hi H, $20,000, 3&up, 8.5f
Harness Stakes Action
This Weekend’s Stakes Action
Summertime is Harness Time… Ton’s of great racing this weekend including the $688,000 Confederation WR Haughton Finals at the Big M. Watch and Wager on these fantastic Harness stakes races this week:
Friday – August 20
• Harrah’s Chester: PASS, $200,000, 2yo, Filly Trot
• Freehold: Helen Smith, $85,000, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Freehold: NJSS, $54,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Freehold: NJSS GA, $10,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Freehold: NJSS GA, $10,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Indiana Downs: Fox Stake, $64,000, 2yo, Open Pace
• Indiana Downs: Ralph Wilfong, $50,000, 2yo, Open Trot
• Indiana Downs: Horseman, $36,000, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Indiana Downs: Horseman, $39,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Indiana Downs: Horseman, $31,000, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Indiana Downs: Horseman, $33,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Indiana Downs: Hoosier Stake, $26,000, 2yo, C&G Pace
• Indiana Downs: Hoosier Stake, $25,000, 2yo, C&G Trot
• Indiana Downs: Hoosier Stake, $24,000, 2yo,Filly Pace
• Indiana Downs: Hoosier Stake, $23,000, 2yo, Filly Trot
• Meadowlands: WR Haughton, $688,000, Free For All Pace
• Meadowlands: Sweetheart, $440,000, 2yo, Filly Pace
• Meadowlands: Woodrow Wilson, $450,000, 2yo, Open Pace
• Meadowlands: Golden Girls, $200,000, FFA Mare Pace
• Vernon Downs: Kindergarten, $10,000, 2yo, C&G Trot
• Vernon Downs: Kindergarten, $10,000, 2yo, Filly Trot
• Yonkers: NYSS, $200,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
Saturday – August 21
• Freehold: NJSS, $66,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Freehold: NJSS, $66,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 2yo, C&G Pace
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 2yo, C&G Trot
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 2yo, Filly Pace
• Ocean Downs: MD SS, $2,500, 2yo, Filly Trot
• Saratoga Raceway: NYSS, $200,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Saratoga Raceway: Joe Gerrity, $25,000, 3yo and up, Open Pace
• Scioto Downs: Ohio SS, $15,000, 2yo, C&G Pace
• Scioto Downs: Ohio SS, $15,000, 2yo, C&G Trot
• Vernon Downs: NYSS, $200,000, 2yo, Filly Pace
Sunday – August 22
• Harrah’s Chester: Battle of Brandywine, $500,000, 3yo,Open Pace
• Harrah’s Chester: Colonial, $500,000, 3yo, Open Trot
• Harrah’s Chester: Valley Forge, $350,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Raceway Park: Ohio SS, $15,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Raceway Park: Ohio SS, $15,000, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Tioga Downs: Miss Versatility, $25,000, 3yo and Up, F&M Trot
• Tioga Downs: NY State Fair, $100,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Harrah’s Chester: PASS, $200,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Harrah’s Chester: PASS, $200,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
