Arlington Park offered a pair of graded turf stakes for three-year-olds on Saturday’s stakes-packed program, the $300,000 Bruce D. (G1) and $100,000 Pucker Up (G3) for fillies.
Bruce D. S. (G1)
Homewrecker Racing Stable’s Point Me By made his stakes debut a winning one in the Bruce D., rallying boldly in the latter stages to score by a 2 3/4-length margin. The Point of Entry colt was making his third career start for Eddie Kenneally, and the bay sophomore completed the mile on firm turf in 1:37.70 with new jockey Luis Saez.
Off as the 17-10 favorite in the nine-horse field, Point Me By settled in midpack as Like a Saltshaker sprinted forward at the break to a short early lead. After edging closer along the inside on the far turn, Point Me By accelerated into contention while angling wide into the straightaway.
Tango Tango Tango, the 19-10 second choice, advanced to take a short lead in upper stretch, but he could not withstand the late surge from Point Me By, who drove to a resounding score in deep stretch.
Tango Tango Tango outfinished 6-1 Ginsburned by a nose for second. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to King of Miami in fourth, and Like a Saltshaker, Therideofalifetime, Mr. Universe, New Year Surprise, and Shadizaar completed the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Winchester Farms, Point Me By was purchased for $30,000 as a newly-turned yearling at the 2019 Keeneland November sale. He’s out of the Proud Citizen mare Viva Allegiance, who counts Grade 3 victor Life in Shambles as a half-brother.
Point Me By won at first asking at Churchill Downs in mid-June, rallying to take a 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden special weight by 2 1/4 lengths. He was exiting a fast-closing fourth in a mile turf entry-level allowance at Saratoga on July 15.
Pucker Up S. (G3)
French import Shantisara registered her first stakes win in convincing style, powering her way to a three-length triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Pucker Up. Flavien Prat was up for Chad Brown on the Irish-bred daughter of Coulsty.
Last seen finishing second in her U.S. debut, the June 26 Boiling Springs S. at Monmouth Park, Shantisara is campaigned by Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables, and Robert V. LaPena. The bay filly left the starting gate as the 9-5 favorite among seven rivals and stopped the teletimer in 1:51.91.
Shantisara rated off the pace as Spritz set the pace to the far turn, launching her bid entering the stretch, and split rivals with a sharp turn of foot to seize control. Oyster Box, the 19-10 second choice, struck the front in-between calls in upper stretch, but was no match for the winner in the final furlong.
Oyster Box up wound up two lengths clear of 5-2 Flown in third, and Time for Glory, Double Blessed, Spritz, and Shesa Mystery came next under the wire.
Bred by Mr. Oliver Donlon, Shantisara won two of her first five starts in France, making her final overseas appearance in mid-February. She’s bankrolled $108,984 from a 7-3-2-0 ledger.
