Arcadia

Saturday’s $150,000 Arcadia H. (G2) at Santa Anita could look like a replay
of the March 4 Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1) — the Kilroe winner, MILK IT MICK
(GB) (Millkom [GB]), third CHINESE DRAGON (Stravinsky) and fifth TERROPLANE (Fr)
(Verglas [Ire]) will square off again over the grassy mile. Given the way the
Kilroe unfolded, though, with a few hard luck stories, we can’t disentangle
them. So we’re inclined to take a stab in another direction in making our top
selection. Several other contenders in the 10-horse field also have solid
claims, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see another mild upset here. In short,
it’s another wide-open affair on the lawn.

We’ll swing for the fences with SILENT NAME (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), a
Wertheimer family homebred with a mouth-watering pedigree who sports a
three-for-five record at this trip. In his only American start for trainer Gary
Mandella, the four-year-old went six-wide en route to capturing an
allowance at this course and distance, erasing a deficit of 14 lengths and
posting a 96 BRIS Speed rating. He defeated two other Arcadia runners in that
race, RUNAWAY DANCER (Runaway Groom) and HELM BANK (Wild Again). While he needs
to move forward off that effort to make an impact here, we project that he will
improve in his second start off a layoff. His prior form in France was decent
enough, going down by only one length in the Prix de la Foret (Fr-G1) and beaten
a total of 6 1/2 lengths in the French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) by multiple
Group 1 king Shamardal. Talented young jockey Rafael Bejarano picks up the
mount.

Last year’s Arcadia runner-up, multiple Grade 1 winner SWEET RETURN (GB) (Elmaamul),
makes his comeback from a six-month layoff in this spot for trainer Ron McAnally.
He loves Santa Anita, boasting an 8-2-3-2 line at this track, and he’s run well
fresh in the past. Sweet Return racked up a 106 Speed figure when winning the
2004 Kilroe (then a Grade 2) and a 104 when third in the 2005 Kilroe, but he may
prefer a longer trip these days. That’s the only reason we hesitate from putting
him on top. Even so, the six-year-old veteran figures to enjoy a stalking trip
and should turn in a very strong effort with regular rider Alex Solis in the
irons. He could well prove us wrong and land the spoils.

The Neil Drysdale-trained Terroplane came from the clouds in the Kilroe,
making up a total of 13 lengths and falling just one length short in fifth. The
five-year-old gray has still not won a stakes, but he has four stakes-placed
finishes on his resume, and he’s hit the board in 10 of 14 tries at a mile. Of
those exiting the Kilroe, he may offer the best value.

Kilroe hero Milk It Mick has drawn the rail, and although he could enjoy a
dream passage after stalking the pace, he could also get bottled up and jammed.
Still, we respect the fact that he’s recorded century-topping Speed ratings (104
and 102) in his lone American outings, and he’s continued to work strongly in
advance of this target. David Flores will be in the saddle for the first time.

TEDO (Ger) (Sternkoenig) captured the second division of the Sir Beaufort S.
at this course and distance last December. The Doug O’Neill charge was too close
to a fast early pace in his last start, the Thunder Road H., and faded to ninth.
We’ll forgive him that one, and if he returns to his preferred midpack position
in the early going, he should finish strongly. With E2 Pace figures of 101, 104
and 100 in three of his last four outings, the four-year-old gray lurks as an
intriguing dark horse.

Chinese Dragon ran a magnificent race in the Kilroe to go down by only a
head, and the Bob Hess Jr. colt could well turn the tables here. With his
sterling records at Santa Anita (5-4-0-1) and at a mile (7-4-1-1), he merits
serious consideration. Corey Nakatani will reunite with the four-year-old for
the first time since they teamed up to win the Alcatraz Breeders’ Cup S. at
Golden Gate last May.

Runaway Dancer, a multiple Grade 3 winner from the Dan Hendricks barn, is
unlikely to win because he really needs a much longer trip to produce his best,
but he is a dangerous closer who may be kept in mind for the exotics. The
seven-year-old campaigner has a potent late kick, having posted Late Pace
figures of 128 and 113 last year before going on the shelf, and he is eligible
to fly late for a piece of the purse. The speedy BECRUX (Ity) (Glen Jordan), a
stablemate of Terroplane, should set the pace. While on his best day he could
hang around to be involved at the finish, we can’t envision him wiring this
field, especially considering that Chinese Dragon gunned him down in the Sir
Beaufort S. (first division).

Helm Bank, like Milk It Mick from the Cassidy barn, has run well in his two
American outings, narrowly going down to Arcadia foes Terroplane, Silent Name
and Runaway Dancer, but he’s going to have to step it up in this group. CAPITANO
(Belong to Me) hasn’t hit the board in three attempts at a mile, and he doesn’t
have a good record at Santa Anita.