Saint Leon Exits Arlington Sprint in Good Order

Margaret Burlingham’s 9-year-old warhorse and local favorite Saint Leon exited his third consecutive victory in the Listed Arlington Sprint in good order according to his connections.  The son of Stravinsky was a wire-to-wire facile winner of the marquee sprint event of the Arlington International Racecourse meet.

“Wonderfully.  He came out wonderfully,” beamed trainer Michele Boyce.  “He was quite full of himself today, feeling like an Oscar-winning movie star after reading his reviews.”

Making his third start of the meet and year, the gelding was winning his 11th race for his connections.  Earlier in the year he finished second to well seasoned stakes winners Hogy and Bet Seattle in allowance races in May and June, respectively.  “He’s an easy horse to get fit.  When you hook a horse like Hogy first out this year - who had a few races in him already this year - it definitely helped get (Saint Leon) more fit.  He was ready to go yesterday.

“E. T. said to me that if he had $1 million in the post parade, he would have bet on him,” Boyce continued.  “He said he had never seen him quite so focused.  Usually Saint Leon will start to grab the bit right before they get into the gate, but this time he was like that from moment he got on the track.  Anyone who would try to go after him the first part was going to sacrifice themselves.”

As far as the future for the stellar sprinter, it is still up in the air.  “That’s the only bad part,” Boyce explained.  “I like to stay at home (at Arlington) and he didn’t enjoy the two times he shipped last year.  He hated the heat at Ellis Park and didn’t like the undulating course at Kentucky Downs.”  Boyce additionally confirmed that she will hope to run in an allowance race or two locally and possibly look the Grade III $150,000 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland on October 4.