Jockey Robby Albarado lifted both stakes at Arlington Park on Saturday. After
demonstrating patience aboard Robert Smithen’s BAY TO BAY (Sligo Bay [Ire]) in
the $200,000
American One Thousand Guineas S., the Louisiana native employed
front-running tactics astride Estrorace LLC’s WORKIN FOR HOPS (City Zip) in the
$100,000
Arlington Classic S.
“I was well mounted and was a good passenger in both races,” Albarado said of
his turf stakes double.
In the Guineas, Albarado was content to settle the Brian Lynch-trained Bay to
Bay near the back of the pack in seventh. Up front, Go Ask Alex (Afleet Alex)
was attempting to steal the race while carving out splits of :24 4/5, :49 and
1:14 on a course labeled good. The longtime leader still maintained a
three-length advantage in the stretch, but Bay to Bay was just gearing up from
off the pace.
Staying on strongly inside the final furlong, Bay to Bay overhauled Go Ask
Alex and pulled 2 1/2 lengths clear in a final time of 1:39 1/5 for the mile.
The 8-5 second choice rewarded her backers with mutuels of $5.40, $3.60 and
$2.60 while keying the $38.80 exacta, $87.60 trifecta and $419 superfecta
(8-5-7-2).
“This is a very nice filly,” Albarado said of Bay to Bay. “She broke
alertly and at every point, she let me know she was in my hands.”
The 7-1 Go Ask Alex gamely held second by a half-length from 7-5 favorite
Queen of the Creek (Theatrical [Ire]), who had dead aim on the front runner
through the stretch but could not get past. It was another four lengths back to
Orchestrator (Bernstein) in fourth. Chantilly Nayla (Five Star Day), Kilmore
Quay (Ire) (Traditionally), Besitos (Greatness) and Lucky Lass (Red Bullet)
completed the order of finish, and Superstardom (Smarty Jones) was scratched.
With this second stakes score on her resume, Bay to Bay sports a mark of
6-3-2-1, $297,578. The bay filly raced exclusively at Woodbine as a juvenile,
landing the Natalma S. (Can-G3) on the turf and finishing second to Canadian
co-champion Biofuel (Stormin Fever) in the Mazarine S. (Can-G3) on the Polytrack.
Bay to Bay kicked off her 2010 campaign with a rallying runner-up effort in the
April 15 Appalachian S. (G3) over Keeneland’s turf course.
Bred by Adena Springs in Florida, Bay to Bay was purchased by her current
owner for $35,000 at Keeneland September. She is out of the Canadian Grade
3-placed Bala (With Approval), who filled the runner-up spot in the 2001 Natalma.
Bala’s latest offspring are a juvenile colt named Violet Ray (El Prado [Ire])
and an unnamed yearling colt by Henny Hughes.
One race later in the Arlington Classic, Albarado guided 8-5 favorite Workin
for Hops straight to the lead, and the Michael Stidham pupil never looked back.
The chestnut gelding dictated through fractions of :24 3/5, :49 and 1:14 3/5.
Enjoying a daylight lead for much of the way, Workin for Hops continued his
momentum down the lane and ultimately crossed the wire a 2 1/4-length winner.
After negotiating 1 1/16 grassy miles in 1:45 2/5, he returned $5.40, $3.60 and
$3.
“I looked at the form and it looked like it might be easy fractions, so
circumstances dictated I go on with him and it worked out,” Albarado said.
Alfarabi (Yes It’s True) made eye-catching progress on the far turn and gave
persistent chase, but could not trouble Workin for Hops. The runner-up finished
1 1/2 lengths ahead of the closing Gleam of Hope (City Zip), who grabbed third
by a neck from Mister Marti Gras (Belong to Me). The exacta was worth $31, the
trifecta paid $168.60, and the 3-2-5-1 superfecta was good for $869.40. Our
Champion (Value Plus) checked in fifth, followed by Family Foundation (Repriced),
Indy Scent (A.P. Indy) and a tailed-off Summer Movie (Holy Bull). Call Shot
(Tale of the Cat) and Prairie Breeze (Castledale [Ire]) were withdrawn.
Workin for Hops boosted his bankroll to $142,976 from his 6-4-1-0 line. A
five-length hero of the March 27 Grindstone S. at Fair Grounds in his stakes
debut, he was coming off a fifth in the April 30 American Turf S. (G2) at
Churchill Downs.
Bred by Amy Bondon and Tom McNally in Kentucky, Workin for Hops was produced
by the winning Citidancer mare Citi Pearl, who is also responsible for a
juvenile filly named Cryptocandiac (Candy Ride [Arg]) and a 2010 filly by Master
Command.