More Than Just a Million

Excitement is in the air this morning here at Arlington Park as we are only hours away from the International Festival of Racing. Headlining the Turf Festival will be the 28th edition of the Arlington Million, a race that has seen most everything in its history. There was the legendary, innaugural and two-time winner, John Henry, doing his thing, and then the Miracle Million of 1985 which was held just weeks after the fire that destroyed Arlington Park. In more recent runnings we’ve witnessed Gary Stevens dumped from his mount, Storming Home, only yards from hitting the wire first, and the erratic path of Powerscourt that cost him back-to-back victories in the Million. Consecutive Arlington Million wins will be the theme of the day, as Gio Ponti will be heavily favored to do just that and become the first horse ever to officialy repeat Million glory. ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here

Beer Money

Saturday’s Grade One Secretariat Stakes is all set to be a showdown between two of the best young turf horses in the nation. One has been making headlines since he broke his maiden in a graded stakes this Spring. Taking a brief sojourn off the lawn to run 3rd in the Kentucky Derby, he has come back to be a fearsome force on the grass. The other meanwhile, has been flying much lower as to stay off the national radar, but on Saturday he can burst onto the national scene by becoming only the fourth horse ever to sweep Arlington’s Mid-America Triple. The two horses I speak of, are of course, Paddy O’Prado and Workin For Hops, and Saturday will mark their second ever meeting. The betting favorite for the Secretariat will be Paddy O‘Prado, and deservedly so. A three-year-old son of recently deceased El Prado, the gray colt has thoroughly impressed since his return to the turf after attempting the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Trained by Dale Romans, Paddy O’Prado has won only 3 of 10 lifetime starts, but most importantly, he has turned his last three turf tries into powerful displays of his significant prowess on the green. Last time out he easily accounted for the Virginia Derby defeating Interactif, who came back to win a graded stakes on the Saratoga lawn last week. Before that, Paddy O’Prado easily dispatched his top Secretariat rival in the final furlong of the Colonial Turf Cup. On that day, Workin For Hops, proved no match for Paddy O’Prado, but he since came back to run his best race yet in the American Derby. In that race, he pressed pacesetter Marcello through moderate fractions, before authoritatively taking command on the final turn and opening a big lead in the stretch with seemingly little effort. With rider Francisco Torres in tow, he cantered home best by 2 1/4 lengths in the 1 3/16 mile grade 2 turf affair. A son of the surprising new turf sire star, City Zip, the extra sixteenth of a mile looks like it will be no problem for Workin For Hops. In attendance that day, I felt that his vanquisher in the Colonial Turf Cup may have had his hands full with him on his home course of Arlington in the American Derby. The impressive American Derby win left Estrorace LLC’s Workin for Hops with a perfect 3 for 3 record at Arlington Park, and there is something to be said for the home course advantage. The chestnut gelding had easily accounted for the Arlington Classic two races back in May, and with a win on Saturday, Workin for Hops would become only the second horse to sweep Arlington's Mid-America since it became a turf series, and the first since Honor Glide turned the trick 13 years ago. Local conditioner, Michael Stidham, trains Workin for Hops and is looking for one of the biggest wins of his career. A victory would only add to what is possibly his most successful season to date, which also includes other recent graded stakes winners, Comedero, Tizaqueena, and Upperline. Stidham feels his charge is better than ever and deserves another chance against Paddy O’ Prado. Seeing what I saw a few weeks ago in the American Derby, I tend to agree. With great respect for Paddy O’Prado, I will be popping open a cold beer for the Secretariat, and watching my wagering money Workin for Hops.

Tiptoeing Through the Turf

No disrespect to impressive Delaware Handicap winner, Life at Ten, or upset Swaps Stakes winner Skipshot, but yesterday, July 17, 2010, was a day for the turf. Turf runners in Chicago, Virginia, and Delaware took center stage and did not disappoint. Paddy O’Prado did not take it to a new level yesterday, but he did affirm his excellent recent form over the grass. Yesterday’s strong win in the Virginia Derby was similar to his win in the Colonial Turf Cup, and Palm Beach Stakes before that. He did however, flaunt a new winning style in which he relaxed and dropped much farther off the early lead, before uncoiling a decisive punch that quickly thrust him into the lead. Versatility is yet another quality in his corner, as Paddy O’Prado takes another step forward to becoming only the second American three-year-old to be named turf champion in the past twenty years. Just before the Paddy show in Virginia, the colt who was beaten by him in the Turf Cup, was an impressive winner at Arlington Park. Without the specter of the big horse, Workin For Hops appeared to be out for little more than a Saturday stroll. Stalking the pacesetter until ready to pounce, the son of City Zip left little doubt of his superiority as he opened up an easy five length advantage in mid-stretch before coasting home an easy winner of the American Derby. It was a win that stamped as one of the best three-year-old turf horses in the nation, and should set him up well for a shot at the prestigious Secretariat Stakes in five weeks time. A race in which he might very well have to deal with Paddy O’Prado once again. After the sophomore colts it was the older fillies who most impressed on the turfy Saturday. Tuscan Evening did it again. What more can you say? The five-year-old Irish import has now run six times in 2010 with six graded stakes scores. Barely more than halfway through the season, and she is dangerously close to clinching the Eclipse Award already. Yesterday was simple, too simple. Able to lope through an opening half mile in a pedestrian :51, Tuscan Evening was able to sprint home and hold off the challenge of Eclair de Lune in winning the Modesty Handicap. Things will get tougher for her in the future, but it is hard to fault her record no matter the early fractions the speedster is setting. Treat Gently is admittedly a horse I knew little about before last month, but the beautifully bred Juddmonte mare, trained by Bill Mott, has opened my eyes quickly. Following a romping win in last month’s Sheepshead Bay, Treat Gently was one of the choices in yesterday’s Robert G. Dick Memorial, and she rewarded that support with a stylish victory. Sweeping by the leaders on the far turn, she never looked like anything but a winner as she edged away from her competition. The win was further prove that the daughter of Cape Cross relishes the distance which will be a factor in her favor this year in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Can he get the distance? That was the only big question facing Rahystrada before yesterday’s Arlington Handicap. The answer was a resounding yes. The six-year-old son of Rahy continued his upward ascent and fine turf form with a solid half length victory over the rallying Just as Well, who was gunning for a repeat in the Arlington Million prep. For Rahystrada, trainer Byron Hughes, and rider Inez Karlsson, the win was among the biggest in their respective careers, but would be nothing compared to what they could accomplish at the same course and distance on August 21. The competition will be tougher, but you can no longer take this improving gelding for granted. Fans at Colonial Downs may have not only seen the best three-year-old turf horse in Paddy O’Prado, but they may have seen the best sophomore filly as well in Check the Label. The daughter of Stormin Fever, entered yesterday’s Virginia Oaks off an impressive win in the Sands Point Stakes. In winning for the fifth time on the grass, Check the Label was even more impressive yesterday. Stumbling at the start, she trailed early off a slow pace, and had her powerful rally stunted behind a wall of horses. She patiently waited, and when a hole opened the race was over, as she zoomed to an easy victory. It is hard to imagine any three-year-old filly that could have handled her yesterday.

Arlington Million Preview Day Winners

The Modesty Handicap kicks off the first of three consecutive graded turf stakes today at Arlington Park. It appears to be strictly a three horse race, and quite a threesome they are. In Tuscan Evening, Rainbow View, and Hot Cha Cha, you have three of the best turf mares in the nation, and all from different regions, squaring off for the first time today. Tuscan Evening is the deserving favorite with her perfect record in five graded turf stakes this year. She is the deserving favorite, but one I will try to beat. The lush Arlington turf course is far different than the firm strips she has grown accustomed to in Southern California. That fact, coupled with the class of her two rivals today, should spell trouble for the chalk today. I think Hot Cha Cha, the Midwesterner, and Rainbow View, the classy European, are both rounding into top form and good enough to get the job done. I will take last year’s QE II winner, Hot Cha Cha narrowly... ***The remainder of today's column can be found on Youbet.com*** Click Here