Mister Marti Gras tunes up for Washington Park title
defense
Lothenbach Stables’ Mister Marti Gras, hero of last summer’s Grade 3
Washington Park Handicap, breezed Sunday at Arlington in advance of Saturday’s
78th renewal of the $150,000 event, Arlington’s richest race for older horses
over its Polytrack course each year.
Sunday’s five-furlong tune-up was accomplished in 1:04 over Arlington’s grass
course with the “dogs” well out from the rail. The turf was rated “firm” at the
time, hours before showers hit the Chicago oval later in the morning.
Trained by Chris Block, Mister Marti Gras is a five-year-old altered son of
Belong to Me and has always been known for his ability over all types of ground.
His most recent trip to the post was in the grassy Grade 3 Arlington Handicap on
July 14 where he finished third, beaten less than three lengths by two horses
that went on to contest the Grade 1 Arlington Million earlier this month.
Last summer, Mister Marti Gras finished second in the Arlington ‘Cap on the
grass before going on to his score in the Washington Park ‘Cap over the
Polytrack, and last fall he won the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs
over the Twin Spires oval’s main track which was rated “muddy” for the race.
W.S. Farish Jr.’s Pool Play, another projected starter in the Washington
Park, accomplished a breeze going five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 over Woodbine’s
Polytrack last Friday.
Conditioned by Canadian-based trainer Mark Casse, Pool Play finished fourth
in Woodbine’s Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes over Polytrack in his most recent start
August 4, but before that was also fourth in Woodbine’s Ontario Jockey Club
Stakes over the Canadian lawn July 2.
Pool Play won Churchill’s Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap in June of 2011 but
was sidelined following that race until returning to competition in this
summer’s Ontario Jockey Club Stakes.
G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and St. George Farm Racing’s Middie, considered to be
the more probable of two Washington Park Handicap nominees trained by Phil
Oliver, breezed a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 over Keeneland’s Polytrack
Saturday morning.
The four-year-old Officer gelding out of a Green Dancer mare finished third,
beaten 1 1/2 lengths for the win, in Arlington’s grassy Sea o’ Erin Stakes on
June 9.
Zayat Stables’ Prayer for Relief, another probable contestant in the
Washington Park, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 at Remington Park Saturday.
Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Steve Asmussen, Prayer
for Relief was second by a nose in Remington’s Governor’s Cup in his most recent
start August 11 and was sixth, but beaten only 1 1/2 lengths for the win, in the
Grade 2 San Diego Handicap over Del Mar’s Polytrack July 28.
Prayer for Relief also was the 2 1/2-length hero of the Grade 2 Super Derby
last fall over the main track at Louisiana Downs.
One intriguing possible starter in the Washington Park ‘Cap is Barry Golden’s
Workin for Hops, who breezed five furlongs in 1:00 over Arlington’s Polytrack
Saturday.
Workin for Hops won the first two legs of Arlington’s Mid-America Triple two
years ago and was second by a neck in last summer’s Washington Park ‘Cap before
being disqualified and placed third.
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