Archive for August 2014

2014 American St. Leger Preview

This year marks the third running of the American St. Leger Stakes, a turf marathon.  Along with the the Arlington Million (GI), the Beverly D (GI), and the Secretariat Stakes (GI) it is part of the International Festival of Racing.  The race is inspired by the St. Leger Stakes, an English Classic that runs approximately... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
August 14, 2014 at 7:28 pm
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2014 Straight Line Stakes Preview

Straight Line, a 2002 horse by Boundary out of the Strawberry Road mare Zanti raced regularly at Arlington Park and notched five of his ten career wins at the track.  Among his wins over the suburban oval were two stakes wins, the 2004 Honest Pleasure Stakes and the 2005 Forward Pass Stakes.  His highest-profile wins... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
August 14, 2014 at 2:02 pm
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2014 Beverly D. Stakes Preview

When people think of Arlington International, they think of its longtime owner, Richard L. Duchossois, known to many as “Mr. D” and subject of a recent BloodHorse longform piece. Even though his role has lessened in recent years, there are still reminders. On mornings before race days, a pre-race show is aired from Mr. D’s... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
August 14, 2014 at 12:30 pm
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2014 Secretariat Stakes Preview

In 1973, Secretariat followed up his Belmont win in the Arlington Invitational.  Arlington Park created the race to attract Secretariat, and Big Red galloped to an easy nine-length victory at a mile and an eighth.  Though that race was on dirt, he was no slouch on the grass, either.  His final two wins, the Man... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
August 14, 2014 at 11:56 am
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2014 Arlington Million Preview

This piece is jointly submitted for Thorofan’s Handicapper’s Corner. With the G2 Sky Classic at Woodbine and the next day’s G1 Sword Dancer, the pinnacle race of the Arlington International Racecourse meet, the Grade One Arlington Million has only a field of seven to see the starter.  Although it’s not a plentiful field for the... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
August 14, 2014 at 11:08 am
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It's Arlington Million Week!

Welcome to Arlington Million week. I know there are some who bemoan the nature of the Chicago circuit, for its low quality, for not having what Saratoga has, for not being as intersectional.  Ditto for the laurels of Del Mar.  But, for one week out of the year, Chicago becomes the center of the horse... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
August 12, 2014 at 1:21 pm
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2014 Adirondack and Saratoga Special Preview

Paul began our weekend jaunt to Saratoga with some grass races: Friday’s National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (GII) for three-year-olds, and Saturday’s Fourstardave Handicap (GII) for the older crowd. On Sunday, August 10, the graded stakes action at the Spa moves to the dirt, and the focus shifts to the juveniles. The... Read more »
By Nicolle Neulist,
August 8, 2014 at 12:09 am
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2014 Hall of Fame Stakes/Fourstardave Handicap Preview

Another week of no stakes on the calendar at Arlington is no problem for “Picks and Ponderings”.  This week, both halves of the team go their separate ways but converge on the Spa.  It’s a three-day-weekend of stakes action from Saratoga this week, with this piece looking at the Friday and Saturday features, set for... Read more »
By Paul Mazur,
August 6, 2014 at 11:30 pm
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