Block looking forward to American St. Leger with Ioya
Bigtime, Suntracer
Trainer Chris Block may be the pride of Champaign, Illinois, but he has also
been an extremely positive force among Arlington horsemen since his own career
began in 1989. The 45-year-old conditioner saddled a training double July 27 to
gain sole possession of fourth-place in Arlington’s trainer standings, but Block
doesn’t keep tabs on that sort of thing.
In fact, as the 2012 Arlington season progresses toward its one-day
International Festival of Racing centerpiece afternoon on August 18, Block
remains focused on the inaugural running of the $400,000 American St. Leger
Stakes that will be contested on that day. That’s Arlington’s newly created 1
11/16-mile marathon that will be grouped for the first time with Arlington’s
troika of Grade 1 events — the 30th anniversary edition of the Arlington
Million, the 22nd renewal of the $750,000 Beverly D. and the 36th running of the
$500,000 Secretariat Stakes.
“I think it’s very important that the American St. Leger draw a lot of
interest from horsemen all over the world and that seems to be happening,” Block
said. “North America has its own niche of marathon runners, but European-based
horses are more prone to marathon distances, so if we can get some European
trainers to show interest with their marathoners, they are more apt to bring
other horses along to compete in our Festival.”
Block could show his own support for the American St. Leger with as many as
two contestants. He saddled the second Grade 3 Stars and Stripes winner of his
own career when Team Block’s Ioya Bigtime captured the 2012 renewal of that 1
1/2-mile contest on July 14, and this year that traditional classic was placed
as an ideal prep race for the American St. Leger.
“Right now, with Ioya Bigtime we’re going to see who else goes in there as
the race gets closer,” Block said. “We’re still not sure how far (Ioya Bigtime)
really wants to go, and of course we’d be asking him to go (three-sixteenths of
a mile) farther (in the American St. Leger). If we decide that more distance is
really his niche, we’ll make the decision to run him at that time.”
However, Team Block’s Suntracer, who had somewhat fallen off the American St.
Leger radar of late after finishing third in the Stars and Stripes, has
reemerged as a possible starter in Arlington’s upcoming marathon.
“We’re strongly considering him for the (American St. Leger),” said Block of
Suntracer, who was beaten 1 3/4-lengths by Ioya Bigtime in the Stars and
Stripes. “We feel the (upcoming) added distance is something he can get and I
really believe his confidence is coming back.”
Suntracer suffered an eye injury some time ago that Block believes affected
his ability to perform at his best, almost as if he were afraid of getting hurt
again.
“His eye is fine now,” Block explained, “but we still keep the goggles on him
when he races because I think that helps him feel like he won’t get hurt again.
In that last race he began to look like his old self and the American St. Leger
may be just the kind of race where he could show us exactly what his
capabilities might be. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”
Incidentally, the Block-conditioned Mister Marti Gras, who is owned by
Lothenbach Stables and finished third in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap on July
14 as the Arlington Million’s designed prep, is not under consideration for the
2012 Million.
“We’re saving Mister Marti Gras for the (Grade 3) Washington Park Handicap
(on) September 1,” Block said.
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