Archive for June 2013

Cozze Up Lady on Top in Chicago Handicap

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — On a cool, breezy afternoon the 25th renewal of the G3, $150,000 Chicago Handicap saw ten female sprinters dash seven furlongs on the Arlington polytrack.  One of them, FLOWER SPELL, was anxious to run the Grade Three.  She broke through the gate before the start and was quickly collared by the outriders... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 29, 2013 at 5:30 pm
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Chicago Handicap Preview

Back in the saddle after a week away, our feature race this week is Saturday’s Chicago Handicap.  It’s a late-June/early-July fixture of the Arlington stakes calendar. It carries a Grade 3 ranking, a purse of $150,000, and is a solid race on the calendar for older female sprinters. The seven-furlong (7/8 mile) distance matches that... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 26, 2013 at 10:20 pm
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Coalport, La Tia Post State-Bred Stakes Victories

The last two six-figure state-bred summer stakes were contested at Arlington on a seasonable mid-June  afternoon.  The two stakes were for older horses bred in the Land of Lincoln on the grass. Here’s a look back. Lincoln Heritage: LA TIA from Start to Finish The plan was simple for trainer Armando De la Cerda and... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 15, 2013 at 5:23 pm
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Lincoln Heritage/Black Tie Affair Preview

This year at Arlington Park, the Prairie State Festival was split over three weekends with two stakes each weekend.  It’s not a new idea to split the marquee Illinois-bred stakes; Hawthorne Race Course across town did it with the Illinois Festival last fall.   The result is this week’s Picks and Ponderings is the third of... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 12, 2013 at 9:35 pm
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Isaac Murphy Handicap Day Stakes Recap

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — On a sunny and seasonable Saturday afternoon in the northwest suburbs, Arlington Park ran four stakes–two for Illinois-breds and two minor stakes on the grass.  They all served as an appetizer to the Belmont Stakes that followed later.  Here’s a look back. Addison Cammack Handicap: A Sweet Victory for SWEET LUCA The... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 9, 2013 at 4:31 pm
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Issac Murphy Handicap Day Preview

This year at Arlington Park, the Prairie State Festival was split over three weekends with two stakes each weekend.  It’s not a new idea to split the marquee Illinois-bred stakes; Hawthorne Race Course across town did it with the Illinois Festival last fall.   The result is this week’s Picks and Ponderings is the second of... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 6, 2013 at 8:30 pm
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Belmont Stakes Picks and Ponderings

The Belmont Stakes.  The Test of Champions.  The third and final jewel of the American Triple Crown. This year, there’s no crown on the line. No horse trying for a Triple Crown. No recollections of Triple Crowns failed. No one breaking out grainy file footage of Affirmed, the last one to do back in ’78.... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 5, 2013 at 9:37 pm
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Springfield Stakes Day Stakes Recap

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — On a seasonable but cloudy afternoon, the first of three June weekends featuring Illinois-bred stakes that were packaged together in prior years as part of the Prairie State Festival were contested.  The two stakes held on the first of June were for the sophomores. Meafara Stakes: FLOWER SPELL Blossoms In a post-race... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
June 1, 2013 at 7:35 pm
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