Saturday’s card at Arlington Park features a pair of turf stakes for
three-year-olds — the $200,000
American One Thousand Guineas S. for fillies going one mile and the $100,000
Arlington Classic S. over 1 1/16 miles. Both serve as notable stepping
stones to upcoming graded events in the division. The Guineas shapes up as a
springboard to the July 4 American Oaks (G1) at Hollywood Park, or other
contests at Saratoga and Monmouth. In contrast, the Arlington Classic has
importance closer to home, kicking off Arlington’s Mid-America Triple that also
includes the July 17 American Derby (G2) and the August 21 Secretariat S. (G1).
QUEEN OF THE CREEK (Theatrical [Ire]), who will be making her stakes debut in
the Guineas, has been installed as the slight favorite at 3-1 on the morning
line. A three-quarter sister to Mien (Nureyev), the dam of dual classic
winning-champion Big Brown, the Tom Proctor filly is two-for-two on the grass.
Queen of the Creek captured a maiden on the Churchill Downs turf course last
November, and in her only subsequent start, she routed a Keeneland turf
allowance field last out. Jose Lezcano picks up the mount on the bay.
The established class of the nine-filly field is BAY TO BAY (Sligo Bay
[Ire]), winner of the Natalma S. (Can-G3) and runner-up to Canadian co-champion
Biofuel (Stormin Fever) in the Mazarine S. (Can-G3) last fall. In her sophomore
bow, the Brian Lynch trainee was a closing second in the Appalachian S. (G3) at
Keeneland. Bay to Bay, the 7-2 second choice, gets the services of Robby
Albarado.
Two other Appalachian alumnae are also set for the Guineas — fourth-place
finisher ORCHESTRATOR (Bernstein), who had captured the Bourbonette Oaks (G3) at
Turfway two back, and Appalachian seventh GO ASK ALEX (Afleet Alex), who has
since come back to romp in the Indiana Downs Distaff S.
Mardi Gras S. heroine CHANTILLY NAYLA (Five Star Day) was sold privately to
Team Valor International and Highfield Stock Farm following her runner-up
performance in the Beaumont S. (G2) over Keeneland’s Polytrack. Successful in a
Fair Grounds allowance last December in her only turf attempt, Chantilly Nayla
adds blinkers for new trainer Wayne Catalano.
International flavor will be supplied by KILMORE QUAY (Ire) (Traditionally),
who will be making her American debut for Darrin Miller. The chestnut has never
raced over this short a distance, however, and exits a victory in an about 1
1/4-mile conditions race at Longchamp.
In the Arlington Classic, ALFARABI (Yes It’s True) rates as the tepid 4-1
morning-line favorite against nine opponents. Besides chasing the likes of Make
Music for Me (Bernstein) and Macias (Purge) over the winter, the Eoin Harty colt
defeated Setsuko (Pleasantly Perfect) in an allowance/optional claimer on the
Santa Anita turf. Alfarabi failed to run up to that level when a well-beaten
fifth in the Transylvania S. (G3) at Keeneland last out, and he was scratched
from an intended start in the April 30 American Turf S. (G2) at Churchill Downs.
James Graham will try to help the gray break through with his first stakes
score.
The respective fifth- and sixth-place finishers from the American Turf,
WORKIN FOR HOPS (City Zip) and GLEAM OF HOPE (City Zip), will look to rebound
here. Workin for Hops had crushed his rivals in the Grindstone S. at Fair
Grounds in his previous outing, while Gleam of Hope had finished a close fourth
in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) on dirt.
Two colts are eligible to improve when reverting to turf Saturday — OUR
CHAMPION (Value Plus), third to Paddy O’Prado (El Prado [Ire]) and Dean’s Kitten
(Kitten’s Joy) in the Palm Beach S. (G3) two starts ago, and CALL SHOT (Tale of
the Cat), third to the unbeaten Nordic Truce (Yes It’s True) in the Dania Beach
S. the last time he was on the grass. FAMILY FOUNDATION (Repriced) is another
who is better than his recent form might suggest, and the Proctor charge boasts
a two-for-two mark on the Arlington turf.
The Bill Mott-trained INDY SCENT (A.P. Indy), a son of champion mare Escena
(Strawberry Road [Aus]), brings a two-race winning streak into his stakes bow,
while SUMMER MOVIE (Holy Bull) invades from Hollywood Park for Art Sherman.