Catalano's Turf Festival Runners All Set

Not even a hospital bed can keep 11-time Arlington International Racecourse champion trainer Wayne Catalano from having a live hand on the track's biggest day.  A triad of his trainees headed toward three of the four graded stakes of the International Festival of Racing worked Sunday morning with assistant trainer Fernando Canteria watching for the convalescing Catalano.

Gary and Mary West's Highball worked toward the Grade I $500,000 Secretariat Stakes, Team Valor International's Infinite Magic for the Listed $400,000 American St. Leger and Hit the Board Stable's I'm Already Sexy for the Grade I $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."

Highball came out first and negotiated an easy five furlongs in 1:03.40, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.80.  The lightly raced son of Lemon Drop Kid was followed soon by the 4-year-old Infinite Magic, who worked the same distance in 1:00.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.60.  Destined for the American St. Leger, the son of More Than Ready galloped out an additional quarter mile, closing a mile out in 1:39.40.  Last of the trio was I'm Already Sexy, who zipped the same distance in :59 flat.  Regular jockeys Florent Geroux and Channing Hill worked I'm Already Sexy and Infinite Magic, respectively, while jockey Noel Vigil worked Highball.  Clocker Bobby Belpedio noted that Infinite Magic was the most impressive of the three.