Arlington Park: The Pucker Up Stakes, in Photos

Pucker Up Stakes (Gr. III) day at Arlington Park lacks the hustle and bustle of Million Day, but as someone that is interested in following turf fillies and mares, the Pucker Up offered a preview of promising candidates in this class.

There was also another preview race of sorts, a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. It's enjoyable to watch these races in the late summer and fall, and one always hopes to see the beginning of the next good horse.

Two races before the maiden special weight, Sancerre (Eduardo Perez up) swept wide around the field to win in an allowance.

The maiden special weight was full of beautiful two-year-old colts, like Son of Dixie, by Dixie Union. He would finish third.

As a fan of Holy Bull and Indian Charlie, I liked Blue Bull, who was by Holy Bull and out of an Indian Charlie mare. Unfortunately he didn't do as well, finishing next to last!

 Cool Cowboy, a son of young sire Kodiak Kowboy, Eduardo Perez up.

Cool Cowboy won drawing away and in near-track record time.

 He galloped out well, too. He's one to watch!

 Perez shaking the hands of Cool Cowboy's connections.

Two races after Cool Cowboy's runaway victory, it was time for the Pucker Up Stakes. Due to an abundance of entries, the Hatoof had been run in two divisions on Million Day. The winners of each division had entered the Pucker Up, including I'm Already Sexy, a daughter of Ready's Image.

Although she hadn't raced in either division of the Hatoof, Remember Then (by Pulpit) was one to watch as she was entering the Pucker Up undefeated in three starts.

I O Ireland was the winner of the second division of the Hatoof. By Giant's Causeway, she is a half-sister to Arlington Park regular Ioya Bigtime.

I'm Already Sexy, Florent Geroux up.

My Option, Eduardo Perez up.

Frivolous, Francisco Torres up.

Every Way, Emmanuel Esquivel up.

I O Ireland, Seth Martinez up.

Phonybooksnrecords, Rosemary Homeister up.

I'm Already Sexy led wire-to-wire and won easily.

Geroux is all smiles!

The final race of the day, a maiden for Illinois-breds, was won by Valiant City (by City Zip), Chris Emigh up.

By Heidi E. Carpenter