Sweet Luca, Richies Sweetheart Seek Arlington Stakes Wins
Six-time winner Sweet Luca will attempt to win his third consecutive Addison Cammack Handicap on Saturday afternoon at Arlington International Racecourse against a field of eight other Illinois-bred sprinters over six furlongs on the main track. At $50,000-added, the Cammack (race seven) is part of a Late Pick 4 that kicks off with its sister race, the $50,000-added Isaac Murphy Handicap (race five).
Owned by Ed Fortino’s Fortino, Inc., Sweet Luca – a son of top sire Candy Ride – will try to win for only the second time since his 2014 Cammack victory over subsequent Eclipse Award and Breeders’ Cup champion sprinter Work All Week for trainer Chris Block. Such was the second consecutive edition of the Cammack in which Sweet Luca played ‘David’ to Midwest Thoroughbreds’ ‘Goliath’ after also catching him in the late strides of the 2013 edition.
Versatile between five furlongs and a mile on multiple surfaces, Sweet Luca has arguably done his best running at the Cammack’s trip, including a hard-charging third on July 9 in Arlington allowance company, finishing a half-length behind Grade I-placed winner Pablo Del Monte and fellow Cammack entrant Creative Art. Making his third start off the layoff, the Chris Block trainee should take some beating when he breaks from post seven under Eduardo Perez.
William Stiritz’s aforementioned Creative Art has proven consistent for trainer Scott Becker, finishing second in two consecutive allowances over the Cammack’s trip and also winning the $50,000 Robert S. Molaro Handicap at Hawthorne Race Course on Mar. 28. Vicente Gudiel gets the return call from post three.
Doubledown Stables’ Recount, the lone sophomore in the field, drew the rail under regular rider Manny Esquivel. The consistent son ofLimehouse was crowned champion 2-year-old colt of 2014 in Illinois after taking the Grade III $125,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity in open company. He kicked off his sophomore year with a win in stakes company at Hawthorne before finishing a game runner-up last out in the $75,000 Golden Circle Stakes at Prairie Meadows. Never out of the money in five starts, the Jimmy DiVito trainee holds speed figures that should make him competitive against his older rivals.
The remainder of the 18th running of the Addison Cammack Handicap field is comprised of Rocket Professor (Chris Emigh, post two),Reigning Catfish (Carlos Montalvo, post four), Jazzy Sun (Edgar Perez, post five), He’saruler (Mitchell Murrill, post six), Western Country (Rosemary Homeister, Jr., post eight) and Rivzinthehouse (E. T. Baird, post nine).
Also on Saturday’s card is the 36th running of the aforementioned Isaac Murphy Handicap over the same course and distance as the Cammack, but for its female counterparts. Richard Ravin, Patricia’s Hope and trainer Larry Rivelli’s Richies Sweetheart is the class of the field, but must overcome having to race for the third time in four weeks after winning an Arlington allowance on July 4 and then taking the $75,000 Brandywine Stakes at Indiana Grande on July 17 – both in turf sprints. E. T. Baird rides from post two.
Richard Otto’s Summer Again enters the Murphy in top form, having romped by 5½ lengths last out against a talented field of allowance foes at this course and distance. A regally bred daughter of Empire Maker and 2003 Illinois Horse of the Year Summer Mis, herself a winner of the Murphy in her championship season, Summer Again seems to be coming into her own in her 6-year-old season and has finished in the exacta in five of her last seven starts. Edgar Perez rides from post four.
Royal Posh will look to return to the form that saw her take the $75,000 Powerless Handicap at Hawthorne on Dec. 6 and a claiming event at this course and distance last year. An 11-time winner in 47 starts, the Steve Manley trainee is tough when at her best and will break from post three under new rider Rosemary Homeister, Jr.
The remainder of the Murphy field is comprised of Dreamofjean E. (Jose Valdivia, Jr., rail), Karla With a K (Manny Esquivel, post five), Algonquin Posse (Chris Emigh, post six) and Dolly Peach (Carlos Montalvo, post seven).
Source: Arlington Park