Saturday features four preps for Arlington Million Day
Arlington Park’s signature event, the Arlington Million is coming up next month and Saturday is the final chance for local hopefuls to prep for the slough of stakes that day. The Grade 3 Arlington Handicap is the main prep for the Million and drew a very talented field including Grade 1 winner Up With the Birds and the popular The Pizza Man. Up With the Birds was fourth in the Arlington Million last year and is coming off a third place finish in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico. He scored his biggest career win taking home top honors in the Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap. The Pizza Man has dominated at Arlington Park over the years, compiling 8 wins from 11 starts at the Chicago oval. Last year he won the $400,000 American St. Leger Stakes on Million Day and figures to be a solid favorite in this spot. Veteran Yankee Dealer will take a shot up in class as he’s been winning optional claiming events on the grass in recent starts. But he’s very consistent and could get up for a piece of the pie at a price. Bill Mott will send out recent Monmouth Stakes winner Triple Threat who won his first start in the States at the Jersey Shore last time out.
The Grade 3 American Derby serves as a prep for next month’s Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes for three year olds. World Approval comes out of a pair of losses to Divisidero who has turned into an extremely talented three year old turfer. World Approval was third in the Grade 2 American Turf two starts back and last time finished fourth in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont. He’ll make his Arlington debut on Saturday but figures a big shot in the American Derby. Firespike has been keeping solid company recently as he comes out of the Grade 2 American Turf as well where he ran a dull seventh. Prior to that he was third in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway. He should appreciate the slight drop in class and should be running late.
The Modesty Handicap on Saturday is the prep for the Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington Park next month. The Modest drew a field of ten including multiple graded stakes winner Riposte. Riposte drew the far outside and is coming off one of his worst recent efforts, a seventh place finish in the Grade 2 New York at Belmont. He’s at his best on or near the lead so with that outside draw he might very well be put into the race earlier to save ground under jockey Jose Lezcano. The Grade 3 Stars N Stripes features eleven runners including The Pizza Man who is cross entered in the Arlington Handicap. He stands out in the group but if he doesn’t go give Xtra Luck an extra look as he’s coming off a good win in the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Arlington Handicap
- The Pizza Man
- Up With the Birds
- Quiet Force
Longshot: Triple Threat
BetPTC.com Selections for the American Derby
- World Approval
- Firespike
- Raagheb
Longshot: Crittenden
BetPTC.com Selections for the Modesty Handicap
- Lot’s O Lex
- Riposte
- Overheard
Longshot: Walk Close
BetPTC.com Selections for the Stars N Stripes
- The Pizza Man
- Xtra Luck
- For Greater Glory
Longshot: Yankee Dealer
$200,000 Great Lady M Stakes tops Los Alamitos Thoroughbred Saturday
Grade 1 winner Warren’s Veneda will take on the undefeated Sunday Rules in the $200,000 Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos on Saturday. Warren’s Veneda will shorten back to a sprint distance after a good second place finish behind Beholder in the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes. She won the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational earlier this year and has been in great form since December. But she’ll have to beat Sunday Rules who has been perfect in five starts. Sunday Rules has been in front at every point of call in her five race career and has crushed all her rivals. This will be her toughest test but if she can shake free early again she will be tough. Fantastic Style who has drawn to her outside has very good early speed and has been in front at first call of all five of her career starts, so she could be the one to really push Sunday Rules and set it up for a closer.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Great Lady M.
- Warren’s Veneda
- Sunday Rules
- Clearly Confused
Longshot: Living The Life
Big field assembled for the Grade 3 Parx Dash
If you like turf sprint action then the $200,000 Grade 3 Parx Dash will be right up your alley. Eleven runners are entered in the five furlong event including Ben’s Cat. Ben’s Cat won this race last year by a nose over Tightend Touchdown who he’ll have to face once again. At age 9, Ben’s Cat continues to run big races on the grass and most recently finished second beaten a nose in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup. Amelia’s Wild Ride beat Ben’s Cat that day at Penn National and comes to Parx for the first time in his career. He likes to be just off the pace and from the ten hole he’ll be able to see what those inside of him are doing as they rush towards the turn. Bold Thunder drew the rail which for him might not be too bad as he likes to gun for the lead. If he can get clear he’ll be tough but if he doesn’t get to the lead and gets shuffled back then it will be curtains for him. Elvis Trujillo will ride Power Alert who has produced some nice wins over some of these rivals in recent starts.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Parx Dash
- Bold Thunder
- Ben’s Cat
- Power Alert
Longshot: Stormy Rocit
Forbidden Apple Stakes is Belmont weekend feature
With Saratoga quickly approaching, the action at Belmont is winding down with the $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes for older turf milers headlining the weekend. Reload comes into the race on a three race winning streak, however only one of those comes in 2015 as he was on the shelf for quite a while. The comeback was magnificent though as the Shug McGaughey trainee scored with ease by two and a half lengths. He’ll have to tango with some very tough older runners though like Wicked Strong, Vyjack and King Kreesa. Wicked Strong is a Grade 1 winner on dirt and will try the grass for the first time as his connections try to re-ignite his career. He was fifth in the Met Mile last time out so the class relief and the surface switch might be what shakes him back into form. Vyjack was barely beat last time out by King Kreesa in the Poker Handicap. King Kreesa will be out on the lead and if he can shake loose he’s always dangerous. Vyjack was trying the turf for the first time in the Poker Stakes and he ran a very good second. He could improve once again in his second start on grass and should be a major player in the Forbidden Apple Stakes.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Forbidden Apple Stakes
- King Kreesa
- Reload
- Vyjack
Longshot: Grand Arch
Saturday Stakes Action at BetPTC.com
Arapahoe Park
Race 7 CTBA Lassie Stakes 5:30pm EST
Race 8 Rocky Mountain Derby 5:55pm EST
Arlington Park
Race 5 American Derby 4:19pm EST
Race 6 Arlington Handicap 4:50pm EST
Race 7 Modesty Handicap 5:21pm EST
Race 8 Stars N Stripes Handicap 5:52pm EST
Belmont Park
Race 9 Forbidden Apple Stakes 5:28pm EST
Canterbury Park
Race 8 Lady Canterbury Stakes 5:17pm EST
Race 9 Mystic Lake Mile 5:47pm EST
Delta Downs
Race 4 Live Oak Stakes 8:30pm EST
Race 5 Flying Breed Stakes 8:55pm EST
Race 6 Louisiana Juvenile Stakes 9:20pm EST
Race 7 Flashy Hemp Stakes 9:45pm EST
Race 8 Delta Downs Derby 10:10pm EST
Race 9 Louisiana Classic Stakes 10:35pm EST
Race 10 Lee Berwick Futurity 11:00pm EST
Evangeline
Race 8 D.S. Shine Futurity 9:49pm EST
Race 9 D.S. Shine Futurity 10:16pm EST
Lone Star
Race 4 TTA Sales Futurity 8:59pm EST
Race 6 Valor Farm Stakes 9:55pm EST
Race 8 Assault Stakes 10:51pm EST
Race 9 TTA Sales Futurity 11:19pm EST
Los Alamitos TB
Race 8 Great Lady M Stakes 8:43pm EST
Monmouth Park
Race 11 Long Branch Stakes 5:43pm EST
Parx
Race 8 Parx Dash Handicap 4:04pm EST
Prairie Meadows
Race 7 Iowa Stallion Stakes 10:11pm EST
Race 8 Iowa Stallion Filly Stakes 10:37pm EST
Sacramento
Race 4 Ca. Governor’s Cup 5:45pm EST
Woodbine
Race 8 Passing Mood Stakes 4:37pm EST