Ike and Dawn Thrash and Sam and Janet Alley’s Istanford, who became the first
filly to beat the boys in the Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Arlington Classic —
the first leg of the Mid-America Triple — since it was moved to the grass in
1994, appears no worse for the wear.
“She looked good today and came out of the
race very well,” trainer Mike Stidham reported.
After bouncing quickly out of the
gate and setting a moderate pace, the daughter of Istan held off a battalion of
boys in the stretch drive to register a one-length victory under James Graham.
“I wasn’t surprised she ran as well as she did, but I was surprised that
(Solitary Ranger) wasn’t making a stronger bid for the lead,” Stidham said.
“When he didn’t make it and we made the lead that easily and we were :24 and
:49, I felt great. When I saw the 1:14 (for six furlongs), I knew we had a
huge shot.”
As far as the future for the two-time Arlington winner, she may attempt the
second leg of the series, the Grade 3,
$200,000 American Derby on July 12.
“What we try to do with our stakes
horses is nominate all over the country and then go where the suitable race is
for our horse,” Stidham continued. “If it fits, we usually go. We’ll
nominate for the American Derby and see how it comes up.”
The American Derby is 1 3/16 miles
on the Arlington turf — an eighth of a mile farther than the Classic — and
thus would present an added stamina challenge.
“I really do feel like she can stretch her speed,” Stidham explained. “If she gets fractions like she did
yesterday and is able to relax like that, I see no problem why she can’t go up
to a mile and a quarter.”
Speaking of 10 furlongs, another race that may be on her radar is the newly
reconfigured Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational — previously the Garden City
Stakes — on July 5 at Belmont Park.
“It’s an invitational and she would
have to be invited, obviously, but I wouldn’t mind that — mostly because it
would give us more options,” Stidham said.
After trying different surfaces against some of the best fillies of her
generation since her August debut victory at Arlington, Saturday’s grassy
success was a sweet one for Stidham.
“I think we’re pretty well convinced that she’s a turf horse,” he explained.
“We’ve done our dirt and poly experiments, but all along I’ve thought she was a
grass horse. We’re not going to question that, now.
“It was also a very cool win for the filly to beat the colts,” Stidham raved.
“We won with Willcox Inn (2011) and Workin for Hops (2010). We love
winning at Arlington — this is home.”
Hernandez Racing Club’s Multiple
Illinois champion La Tia has exited her runaway victory in yesterday’s Grade 3,
$150,000 Arlington Matron well, according to her conditioner Armando De La Cerda.
“She looks okay — so far so good,” he said. “It was much better than after the last
race, when she was very tired. She ate all her food. She
seems very happy right now.”
Ridden by E. T. Baird for the first time, the granddaughter of Storm Cat went
right to the front and clicked off :24 quarters until reaching the
stretch and pulling away from her foes to register a 6 1/4-length victory.
The win was her sixth at Arlington and seventh
overall.
“(Baird) rode her perfect,” Cerda explained. “He broke on top and got the
horse behind to follow him by about a length. He got her to relax and never had
to go too quickly. At the quarter pole, he looked around and just
let her go turning for home. She is very fast, but she doesn’t have to go
that fast on the lead and he is a very good speed rider.”
After a tough loss on May 9 to stakes horse Every Way in a 1 1/16-mile
allowance, La Tia was coming off a short 15-day layoff for her connections. In
that race, though, she set testing fractions of :45 3/5 and 1:10.
“She was tired after the race and went too fast,” Cerda said. “She layed down in her
stall as soon as she got back. But, then she got better and better.
And (on race day) was quiet, happy and relaxed.”
De La Cerda’s stress of his charge’s short rest and being bet down to 8-5
favoritism was further agitated before the start when another horse’s shoe
repair necessitated a delay. Since the horses were already on the track at
the time, jockeys were required to dismount until the issue could be resolved.
“When the jockey got off, La Tia started sweating and was upset and it
stressed me out too, but she ran her race,” Cerda said with relief. “Next we
will look at the ($100,000 Illinois-restricted) Lincoln Heritage Handicap (on
June 21) on the grass here for something a little easier and then maybe the
(Grade 3 $150,000 Ontario Matron on July 26) up in Canada on the Poly.”
After such, he may consider another crack at the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes over 1 3/16 miles on August 16.
“It might be a little
too far for her, but you never know,” Cerda added. “She ran so well at a mile and an
eighth yesterday.”
Celebrated warhorse and popular victor in yesterday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Hanshin Cup, Nikki’s Sandcastle has
emerged from his 40th start and 10th career victory in fine form, according to
trainer David Kassen.
“He has come out great,” Kassen said. “I didn’t get to see it
in person. I sent him up there and I watched it on TV. I thought he
ran very well. He got banged around a bit, but it didn’t seem to affect
him too much.”
Winning the fifth stakes of his career, the chestnut son of Castledale with a
noticeable white blaze has been with Kassen his entire career.
“He’s just a really good horse,” Kassen explained. “He’s underrated by a lot of people. He’s had so many bad trips and should have a better record
than he’s got. I was very proud of him.”
After breaking in midpack from the 5-hole, the Richard Sherman homebred settled
about eight lengths off the rapid pace before slowly moving up on the outside
and hitting the leading flight turning for home. After being bumped
considerably by Pass the Dice at the top of the stretch, the unwavering Nikki’s
Sandcastle hit the lead and subsequently held off a charging Mister Marti Gras
by a half-length under Leandro Goncalves.
“He’s just as good or better than he’s ever been at age seven,” Kassen
explained. “Riders
usually lose the race on him in the first part of the race — on the first turn
(in two turns races). He can show speed, but he
doesn’t want to run that way, but you can’t shuffle him back and have him in
last. (Goncalves) rode him well.”
The latter statement may be
putting it lightly, considering that Nikki’s Sandcastle’s first graded stakes
placing and only two graded stakes wins have come under Goncalves.
A versatile horse in the vast older horse division, Nikki’s Sandcastle has a
plethora of options for his connections to mull over.
“There’s a lot of races, but we’re leaning toward the (Grade 3 $200,000) Arlington
Handicap (on July 12) at a mile and a quarter on the grass,” Kassen said.
“It might be too much distance for him, but he’s doing very well. We’ll also
look at the (Grade 2 $200,000) Firecracker Stakes at Churchill. Later on in the
season, though, we’ll aim toward the (Grade 3 $150,000)
Washington Park Handicap (on August 30 at Arlington). He really likes the Polytrack there.”
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