Catalano runners put in final moves for Arlington Million Day

Catalano runners put in final moves for Arlington Million

Day

Not even a hospital bed can keep 11-time

Arlington champion trainer Wayne Catalano from having a live hand

on the track's biggest day.

A triad of his trainees headed to three of the

four graded stakes of the International Festival of Racing worked Sunday morning

over the firm turf at Arlington

with assistant trainer Fernando Canteria watching for the convalescing Catalano.

Highball worked toward the Grade 1, $500,000 Secretariat Stakes, Infinite Magic for the

$400,000 American St. Leger and I'm Already Sexy

for the Grade 1, $750,000 Beverly D. The moves were the final of their respective

preparations and pleased Canteria.

"They all worked great," Canteria reported. "I'm Already Sexy worked as good

as she usually does -- that's her. They all worked solo and I'm really happy

about all of them. It was their last workout before the big day."

American Derby third-placer Highball came out first and negotiated an easy five

furlongs in 1:03 2/5, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 4/5. The lightly raced

son of Lemon Drop Kid was followed soon by the four-year-old Infinite Magic, who

clocked the same distance in 1:00 3/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12 3/5. Destined for the American St. Leger, the

Grade 3-scoring son of More Than Ready galloped out an

additional quarter-mile, closing a mile out in 1:39 2/5.

Last of the trio was Modesty heroine I'm

Already Sexy, who zipped the same distance in :59.

Regular jockeys Florent

Geroux and Channing Hill worked I'm Already Sexy and Infinite Magic,

respectively, while jockey Noel Vigil was aboard Highball.

Clocker Bobby Belpedio

noted that Infinite Magic was the most impressive of the three.

In other International Festival of Racing news:

Eight European contestants for the International Festival

of Racing have arrived on the grounds at Arlington and

are currently in quarantine with an expected release on Tuesday.

Arriving first

via an Air France flight at 8:35 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday was the French contingent of

Smoking Sun and Sparking Beam. Smoking

Sun is pointing toward the Grade 1, $1 million Arlington Million and expected to be one of

the favorites, while Sparkling Beam is a slight outsider aimed toward the Beverly D.

Arriving via a Qatar Airlines flight at 5 a.m. was the

English shipment. Three-year-old Euro Charline and Just the Judge -- both expected for the Beverly D.

-- joined a third

filly in American St. Leger contestant Moment in Time.

Three older horses, including Havana Beat, Dandino and Side Glance, were also

on the flight. Havana Beat and defending champion Dandino are expected to join

Moment in Time in the American St. Leger, while Side Glance will have a second

consecutive go in the Million.

The final flight -- from Ireland -- is expected to arrive

late Tuesday evening and contain the Ballydoyle-based Coolmore contingent of

trainer Aiden O'Brien. Eye of the Storm, Belisarius, Adelaide and Million

favorite Magician are expected on such.

Grade 1 winner Tannery -- one of six with victories at the

highest level expected for the Beverly D. -- enters Saturday's

race with something to prove for owner Richard Santulli and trainer Alan

Goldberg. A perplexing last of 10 in the Diana Stakes at Saratoga last

out, Tannery is back against many of those players again at Arlington.

"She's doing well," Goldberg said. "She's not running well in the afternoons,

but she's training great. She likes to train -- she can be a little stubborn,

but obviously that's part of what makes her a good horse. She's training like

she was before (the Diana); I hope she runs better."

A closing filly, the daughter of Dylan Thomas contested the

pace last time and slowly faltered to the tail end of field at the Spa. The

effort came after an excellent second to Riposte in the New York Stakes

at Belmont Park.

"She's kind of a one-run filly; last race she ran from the

start to the seven-eighths," Goldberg laughed. "She's a better filly than that.

In the (New York Stakes) she was as good as the winner. I think she got stuck in

there and the other filly got the jump on her. She's been training great all

year and I think she belongs with good horses."

According to the conditioner, the bay mare will arrive on

Tuesday afternoon from Saratoga and will have a new rider in Robby Albarado.

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