Silver Max heads strong Secretariat field; St. Leger features Jakkalberry

Silver Max will look to cement his standing atop the three-year-old turf

division when he lines up for the Grade 1, $500,000

Secretariat Stakes, one of four premier turf stakes races on Saturday's

International Festival of Racing  program at Arlington Park. Installed as

the 9-5 favorite on the morning line, Silver Max could face a stiff domestic

challenge from the likes of Summer Front, Cozzetti and Finnegans Wake, and must

also overcome a couple of quality European invaders in Bayrir and Daddy Long

Legs.

The Dale Romans-trained colt will bring a six-race winning streak into the 1

3/16-mile affair, leading wire to wire every time. The bay son of Badge of

Silver cleared a distance hurdle when posting a comfortable one-length decision

in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby at 10 furlongs last out and recorded an impressive

tally in the Arlington Classic over the local course three back. Silver Max's

other stakes wins this season came in the Grade 2 American Turf, Grade 3

Transylvania and Oliver. Robby Albarado retains the assignment on the speedster,

who will break from the far outside in the eight-horse field.

Summer Front merits serious respect. Unbeaten in five turf starts, his only

career setbacks came when his connections tried to gauge his Triple Crown

potential on dirt and Polytrack this spring. The War Front colt is decidedly

better on turf, posting nice stakes wins at Saratoga and Belmont Park in his

last two outings, and the Christophe Clement charge figures to be stalking the

pace in midpack before offering his best. Saratoga's leading rider, Ramon

Dominguez, who has been up in all seven lifetime starts, will travel to Chicago

for the mount.

American Derby runner-up All Stormy and multiple Grade 3-placed Handsome Mike

complete the Secretariat line-up.

Twelve horses were entered for the inaugural running of the $400,000

American St.

Leger, the first of four races in the International Festival of Racing, and

the Marco Botti-trained Jakkalberry will be the horse to beat in the marathon 1

11/16-mile event. An Italian highweight and Group 1 winner, Jakkalberry has been

facing far superior competition in his last two starts, finishing third to

Cirrus Des Aigles and St. Nicholas Abbey in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic

prior to a fifth behind the winning Sea Moon in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at

Royal Ascot last out. He is listed as the 9-5 choice on the morning line with O'

Donoghue.

Lake Drop, who exits a Group 3 win in Italy, will make his U.S. bow for new

trainer Graham Motion. Zuider Zee, stakes-placed in both England and France,

invades for trainer John Gosden, and multiple Group 3-placed distance specialist

Bridge of Gold has shipped from England for conditioner Mikael Magnusson.