For a race created and named with the intent of attracting stayers from Europe, Saturday’s $250,000 American St. Leger (G3) at Arlington is conspicuously lacking any invaders from across the Atlantic. Trainer Mike Maker, who won the race last year with the Da Big Hoss, instead saddles the two primary contenders in Keystoneforvictory and Taghleeb.
Keystoneforvictory, exiting a 1 1/2-length win in the Stars and Stripes (G3) over 2014 St. Leger winner The Pizza Man, figures to be a strong favorite. The Stars and Stripes was the four-year-old’s fourth win in his past five starts, the only setback being a third in the Barbados Gold Cup in March.
Taghleeb perhaps would have been favored earlier in the year, but the Grade 3 winner didn’t stay particularly well in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup (G3) two back. Last time he was only fifth in the Arlington H. (G3), but at a distance possibly a bit too short for him these days.
Applicator, a pace setter in the Miami Mile (G3) and Manhattan (G1), rallied from behind in the Stars and Stripes and finished a respectable third. He might show more early zip this time with blinkers added. Postulation is another that might display early foot following an 11-1 upset of the $50,000 Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park in wire-to-wire fashion.
Other notables in the 1 11/16-mile St. Leger are Grade 3 winner Bullards Alley, second by a neck in the Singspiel (G3) at Woodbine last time, and Hanshin Cup (G3) hero Crewman.
The Arlington Million Day card concludes with the $100,000 Pucker Up (G3), an about 1 1/8-mile grass test for three-year-old fillies.
The wide-open race includes stakes scorers Happy Mesa, Lipstick City, and Journey Home, along with Fault, Dontmesswithjoanne, Lovely Bernadette, and Sensitive.
You can get free Brisnet past performances for Arlington Million day here
