Chicago 'Cap Features Dr Zic, Hooh Why
Grade I stakes winners Dr. Zic and Hooh Why are prominent in a field of eight distaffers entered Thursday for Sunday’s Grade III Chicago Handicap. The $100,000 race will be run at seven furlongs over Polytrack and will serve as the holiday weekend on-track headliner at northwest suburban oval.
Dr. Zic, who races for Derby Lane Farm plus Tom, Jim & Mariette Farrell and trainer Joan Scott, is the 121-pound co-highweight after amassing a record of five wins from 15 starts including the 2010 edition of the Grade I Madison at seven furlongs over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface. The 5-year-old Milwaukee Brew mare ran third in her defense of that title and more recently finished sixth in the Grade III Hendrie at Woodbine on May 14. E. T. Baird has the mount Sunday.
The Estate of Gail Gee, Mark Hoffman & Earl Trostrud’s Hooh Why, winner of the 2009 Grade I Ashland Stakes at Keeneland as a 3-year-old, has shown an affinity for Arlington’s all-weather surface with two wins, a second and a third in four trips over the course including a nose victory in a money allowance here two weeks ago. The seven-time victress is trained by Mike Reavis. The daughter of Cloud Hopping will carry 119 pounds and have the services of Jozbin Santana, the meet’s leading rider thorough Wednesday.
The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Tidal Pool, owned by Westrock Stables, will share highweight with Dr. Zic. The daughter of Yankee Gentleman is graded stakes placed having finished third last time out in the Grade II Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park. Earlier this year, the 4-year-old filly won the $100,000 Red Bud Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Eusebio Razo Jr. has been named.
John Gunther, Eurowest Bloodstock Services and Tony Chedrauoi’s Devil by Design makes her 2011 debut for trainer Bill Mott. A 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro mare has turned in a string of solid works for her return to the races including a 48.60 half-mile drill at Churchill Downs on June 28. The winner of five of 13 starts has been assigned 118 pounds and will be ridden Sunday by Corey Nakatani.
Others in the field for the Chicago Handicap (with jockey and weight listed) are: Nancy Vanier’s Home’s the Best (Eduardo Perez, 117 pounds); Jared Hughes’ Hot Hot Mama (James Graham, 116); Peter Redekop’s La Rocca (Seth Martinez, 116); and Feel the Thunder Stable’s Lookn Even Finer (Rosie Napravnik, 114).
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