Arlington Park’s Grade 1, $500,000
Secretariat Stakes, a race won three of the last five years by European
shippers, got a domestic boost when trainer Gary Contessa announced that his
Penn Mile victor Rydilluc will be aimed toward the race many consider
the premier American turf race for three-year-olds.
Undefeated in four starts on turf, Rydilluc defeated a
solid field that included American Turf hero Noble Tune, Grade 1-placed stakes
victor Charming Kitten and Transylvania scorer Jack
Milton.
Owned by Team Stallion Racing Stable et al, Rydilluc previously finished
a close fourth in the Blue Grass, beaten less than two lengths,
and was being pointed toward the Kentucky Derby before a minor injury stunted
those plans.
“He just stamped himself as arguably the best three-year-old
turf horse right now, and we’re going to stay there,” trainer Gary Contessa
stated.
The New York-based conditioner has been bullish in his belief that the son
of Medaglia d’Oro was special since the colt took
Gulfstream Park’s Palm Beach in March.
“I’d say next stop Virginia Derby (on July 13) and then on to the
(August 17) Secretariat and then let’s try to win a race with him at Saratoga, as well,”
Contessa continued.
The nearly black colt should, at least from a
pedigree perspective, appreciate the additional two furlongs of the
Secretariat’s 1 1/4-mile distance. His sire, a son of Irish champion El Prado, not only claimed the 10-furlong Travers Stakes but also
finished second in the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes.
Rydilluc’s dam, Swift and Classy, is by speed influence
Clever Trick out of a Quack mare. Quack was a huge deep-closing colt with
immense stamina, thanks to damsire *Princequillo — the same damsire of
Secretariat, who not only won the 10-furlong Hollywood Gold Cup Invitational
Handicap, but did so as a three-year-old and in world record time (1:58.20).
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