California invaders in Washington Park; Catalano juveniles
top Arlington stakes
Back on the Arlington Park stakes schedule after a one-year hiatus, the
$200,000
Washington Park H. (G2)
will serve as a prep for this year’s Breeders’
Cup Marathon and highlights a Saturday stakes tripleheader at the Chicago track.
California invaders CHURCH SERVICE (Pulpit) and UNUSUAL SUSPECT (Unusual
Suspect) loom large in the 1 3/16-mile event, which has attracted a field of
eight older horses.
Arlington will also host a pair of Grade 3 events for two-year-olds on
Saturday, and perennial leading trainer Wayne Catalano will send out the
morning-line favorites, DIXIE BAND (Dixie Union) and SHE BE WILD (Offlee Wild),
in both $150,000
Arlington-Washington Futurity
and $150,000
Arlington-Washington
Lassie.
Unusual Suspect merits serious respect in the Washington Park off a victory
in the Cougar H. (G2) two starts back over Del Mar’s Polytrack. A fast-finishing
fifth in the grassy Del Mar H. (G2) last out, the Barry Abrams-trained
five-year-old will pick up the services of leading riding Junior Alvarado.
Church Service exits a third in the Cougar and missed by only a head when second
in the inaugural running of the Marathon last October. Conditioned by Mike
Mitchell, the six-year-old gelding will get a new pilot in James Graham.
Other contenders include Grade 1 winner WICKED STYLE (Macho Uno), who exits
an allowance/optional claiming score over the turf; Brooklyn H. (G2) winner
ELDAAFER (A.P. Indy); and PALLADIO (Lycius), who will ship in from Canada for
Roger Attfield off a victory in the Seagram Cup (Can-G3) at Woodbine.
Both juvenile events will be held over a one-turn mile, and Catalano will
send out a pair of unbeaten youngsters. Dixie Band won the Spectacular Bid S. by
1 1/2 lengths, and She Be Wild exits a 5 1/4-length tally in the Top Flight S.
Dixie Band, who was ridden by Garrett Gomez last time on the Arlington Million
(G1) undercard, will continue to shuffle riders in his third career start
beneath David Flores. She Be Wild keeps Alvarado in the saddle.
Among those slated to face Dixie Band in the Futurity are Spectacular Bid
runner-up U APPEAL TO ME (Successful Appeal) and Charles Town Juvenile S. second
KRATISTO (Afleet Alex). Recent maiden winners BEWARE THE TIGER Hold That Tiger),
OAK MOTTE (Valid Expectations), HERECOMES BERT (Purge) and PISCITELLI (Victory
Gallop) are also entered.
In the Lassie, TIZ MIZ SUE (Tiznow) and HIGHEST POWER (Stormy Atlantic) will
look to pose a threat to She Be Wild off large-margin maiden victories, and
DECEPTIVE GLORY (Honour and Glory) will look to rebound after faltering at short
odds in the Top Flight.