Beverly D., Secretariat solid supporting features for Million

Last updated: 8/6/09 4:33 PM

Beverly D., Secretariat solid supporting features for
Million

Pure Clan is looking for victory in the Beverly D.
(Four Footed Fotos)

Eight fillies and mares, including three overseas raiders from Europe, will
take part in Saturday’s $750,000
Beverly D. S. (G1), while 11 three-year-olds
are set to do battle in the $400,000
Secretariat S. (G1) as part of Arlington
Park’s International Turf Festival. The supporting features on the Arlington
Million (G1) card will be contested at 1 3/16 miles and 1 1/4 miles,
respectively.

The top American draws in the Beverly D. are PURE CLAN (Pure Prize) and BLACK
MAMBA (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe), both Grade 1 winners. The American Oaks (G1)
winner from last year, Pure Clan was a narrowly beaten second in the Mint Julep
H. (G3) in her seasonal bow before shipping up to Arlington to take the Modesty
H. (G3) over TIZAQUEENA (Tiznow) and DYNAFORCE (Dynaformer).

Black Mamba, noted for earning minor prizes early in her U.S. career, has
landed the John C. Mabee H. (G1) and back-to-back renewals of the Beverly Hills
H. (G2) over the past 14 months. Dynaforce, who romped home by four lengths in
the Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) last fall, has failed to regain that form in
three subsequent starts, while Tizaqueena captured the Churchill Distaff Turf
Mile (G2) in early May. The other North American-based runner is POINTS OF GRACE
(Point Given), recent winner of the Dance Smartly S. (Can-G2) at Woodbine.

Mad About You is seeking her second win of the year
(Four Footed Fotos)

The leading European invader is MAD ABOUT YOU (Ire) (Indian Ridge) from the
barn of Dermot Weld. Though her signature victory occurred in the Gladness S.
(Ire-G3) earlier this season, the four-year-old has placed four times at Group 1
level including the classic Irish One Thousand Guineas last season. She enters
the Beverly D. off a third in the seven-furlong Minstrel S. (Ire-G3) at the
Curragh. The remaining European contingent consists of ALNADANA (Ire) (Danehill
Dancer) and DENOMINATION (Smart Strike), both Group 3 winners in France this
season.

The Secretariat concludes Arlington’s Mid-America Triple series, and the
winners of the first two legs will square off in this rubber match. GIANT OAK
(Giant’s Causeway) was heavily favored to follow-up his Arlington Classic
victory in last month’s American Derby (G2), but was a flat fourth behind REB
(Stormy Atlantic), who was making his stakes debut for trainer Rusty Arnold.
Crossing the wire third in the American Derby was OIL MAN (Ire) (Pyrus), the
Cinema H. (G3) winner who was disqualified to fourth for interference that day.
Another American Derby entrant, PROCEED BEE (Bernstein), was elevated to third
and will attempt to improve off that effort.

Laureate Conductor took in Arlington’s scenery Thursday
(Four Footed Fotos)

DRIVING SNOW (GB) (Verglas [Ire]), who has the distinction of handing
European superstar Sea the Stars (Cape Cross [Ire]) his only loss in a Curragh
maiden last summer, makes his third U.S. start in the Secretariat. After losing
the Bourbon S. (G3) at Keeneland last October, Driving Snow was out of action
until the July 7 Oliver S. at Indiana Downs, which he won with a late charge by
three parts of a length.

Runner-up to Driving Snow in the aforementioned maiden that included Sea the
Stars was BLACK BEAR ISLAND (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who later captured the Dante
S. (Eng-G2) at York, a top prep for the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1). Black Bear Island
eventually finished 10th in the Epsom Derby behind the Sea the Stars, and later
ran third in the King Edward VI S. (Eng-G2) and seventh in the Grand Prix de
Paris (Fr-G1).

Others of note are Virginia Derby (G2) third TAKE THE POINTS (Even the
Score), last-out Choice S. winner LAUREATE CONDUCTOR (Bernstein, and Arlington
allowance winner and Oliver S. runner-up QUITE A HANDFUL (Mutakddim).