Arlington Oaks Top 3 Exit Well
{{monthName}} {{day}}, {{year}} {{hour12}}:{{minuteTwoDigit}}{{dayPeriod}}
Photo:
Eclipse Sportswire
James
Miller’s Grade III $150,000 Arlington Oaks winner Aurelia’s Belle has
exited her victory no worse for the wear, according to her connections.
The daughter of Lemon Drop Kid asserted her class at the top of the
stretch in the 1 1/8-miles event and
went on to score by three-quarters of a length over a game Stellaris for
trainer Wayne Catalano.
“She’s doing alright
and came out good,” Catalano confirmed. The 11-time champion trainer
also confirmed that a return to turf racing is in the future of the bay
filly and that the Grade III $150,000 Pucker
Up Stakes on September on Sept. 13 may be on her radar.
The same can be said
for runner-up Stellaris. The daughter of Harlan’s Holiday outran her
seasoning to post a game defeat in what was only her fifth career start
and first in a graded stakes. The dark bay
filly made up 2¾ lengths on the winner in the final eighth of a mile for
trainer Mike Stidham.
Speaking from Del Mar,
where he ran Grade III Arlington Classic winner Istanford to victory in
the Grade II San Clemente Stakes yesterday, Stidham was elated with
Stellaris’ performance. “I spoke to (assistant
trainer) Hillary this morning and she said she looked great coming out
of the race. I thought she ran a great race and certainly (Aurelia’s
Belle) is a proven, very nice filly. I was very pleased.”
Co-owned by breeder Tom
Van Meter, Stellaris may try turf racing after three attempts on
Polytrack and two on dirt. “I think she might be better on turf than
poly,” Stidham assessed. “We’ll probably nominate
to some dirt races, too, to keep our options open. The fact that we now
know she can go a mile and an eighth is nice to have.”
Holmark
Stable’s Arlington Oaks third-place finisher She’s Offlee Good came out
of her game performance in excellent shape, according to trainer Richie
Scherer. “She’s came out well – absolutely,” he exclaimed.
“She wasn’t giving up much at the end and was clearly third-best and
(Aurelia’s Belle and Stellaris) were clearly better than me. The last
six weeks or so she started really coming back to herself. I think she
loves training at Arlington. I’m really proud
of her. We’ll keep her at home and try her on the grass, with our
tentative goal being the ($75,000) Hatoof Stakes (on Aug. 16).
Stidham, himself, had a superb Saturday
of racing nationwide. In addition to finishing second in the Arlington
Oaks and winning the San Clemente, he was a photo-finish second in the
Ohio Derby at Thistledown
with Jessica’s Star and won a tough turf maiden in Arlington’s nightcap
with the promising Candy Ride filly Helen Kathleen.
“It was an unbelievable
day. With (Istanford), you never know how they’re going to run over
that kind of turf (at Del Mar) until they run on it,” Stidham
explained. “There was also concern over the fact that
California speed is very different. You never know how it’s going to
set up, but she got out there and comfortable and I couldn’t believe
it.”
The tentative plan with Istanford, according to the conditioner, is the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 16. The veteran conditioner also expressed that the loss at the wire in the Ohio Derby was “heartbreaking,”
but he was pleased with the performance. Stidham’s streak of stakes purse money collection could continue on Sunday as he enters recent ultra-impressive Arlington maiden winner Pirate’s Trove in the $125,000 Duchess Stakes at Woodbine.
Read More
If Whit Beckman was disappointed with Regaled 's third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, you wouldn't know...
In the 10 days since the Breeders’ Cup Classic, word has filtered out about which runners will return...
This week's Prospect Watch showcases young horses with elite bloodlines making their racing debuts and early career starts....
Nevada Beach returned to the work tab Monday, just nine days after finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup...
Grand Slam Smile posted Sunday's highest Horse Racing Nation speed figure with a 142 at Del Mar in...