Contact: Graham Ross (847) 385-7500 ext. 7319
GRoss@arlingtonpark.com

In today's notes:

• Twenty Late Nominations Swell GII American Derby List to 277
• Hanshin Cup Contestants Doing Well Morning After Race
• Arlington Previews Trainer Jim Eckrosh's 92nd Birthday Sunday
• Bits & Bridles

TWENTY LATE NOMINATIONS SWELL GII AMERICAN DERBY LIST TO 277

K. K. & Vilasini's Jayaraman's Royal Spy, winner of the $200,000 USA Stakes at Lone Star Park May 28, heads a list of 20 sophomores that are late nominees to the Grade II American Derby at Arlington Park July 22.

Trainer Cole Norman, a rising star among young Midwestern horsemen and one that is quickly developing a national reputation, has indicated that the American Derby, middle leg of Arlington's Mid-America Triple, is under serious consideration as a next start for Royal Spy.

Norman has also nominated another bay 3-year-old, the Jayaramans' Seattle Night, to the latest American Derby nominations list.

The 20 additional names for the mile and three-sixteenths test, Arlington Park's oldest stakes observing its 87th renewal, bring the total of American Derby nominations to 277.

Gary & Mary West's Baptize, winner of the Grade II Arlington Classic, initial phase of the Mid-America Triple, as well as runner-up Indygo Shiner, owned by Jane & F. Lyon & Lacombe Racing Stable, remain among those under consideration for the American Derby, as do the other four Classic contestants.

The Mid-America Triple concludes with the Grade I Secretariat, to be contested at a mile and a quarter as part of the one-day International Festival of Racing August 18, Arlington Million Day.

Heading the list of European-based campaigners nominated to the $250,000 American Derby is Juddmonte Farm's Mizzen Mast, conditioned by world-renowned French trainer Criquette Head-Maarek.

Juddmonte Farms won last year's Grade I Arlington Million with Chester House, and Criquette Head-Maarek saddled Hatoof to win the Grade I Beverly D. in 1994.

Adding more international flare among late American Derby nominations are: H. R. H. Prince Fahd Bin Salmen's Aldwych, trained by Roger Charton; R. E. Sangster & A. K. Collins' Analyser, conditioned by John Gosden; Gary A. Tanaka's Art Contemporain, a French-bred trained by Frenchman Jean-Claude Rouget; and Tanaka's British-bred El Bueno, conditioned by Irishman Aidan O'Brien.

O'Brien, incidently, saddled Jayeff B Stables' Ciro to win last year's Secretariat.

Trainer Linda Rice has a threesome of late nominations to the American Derby: Richard L. Golden's Mr. Numbers, David Sepler's Paladium Player, and Golden Dome Stables' Spruce Run.

Conditioner John Scanlan has also registered three of the late nominations: Daniel Borislow's trioka of Hydrophonics, Down On New York, and Pleasant Divorce.

Other late American Derby nominations are: Winmore Stable's Citiroyal; Lakeside Farms' Colonial Colony; P. Lauer, J. Merritt & G. Uligian's Heptagone; Johnny Estates 1990 Ltd.'s King's Ironbridge; Jacks or Better Farm's Monsieur Cat; M & D Stable's Sir Brian's Sword; and Cheveley Park Stud's British-bred Tempest.

HANSHIN CUP CONTESTANTS DOING WELL MORNING AFTER RACE

Trainer Albert Stall Jr., who saddled Lazy Lane Farm, Inc.'s Bright Valour to win his second consecutive Grade III Hanshin Cup Saturday, reported that all was well with the 5-year-old son of Wild Again one day later.

"He looked pretty good to me this morning, especially considering all that heat and humidity we had yesterday," said Stall Sunday during training hours.

"I think we'll keep him at this level, and look for some Grade III races at a mile or seven-eighths," Stall said.

Also reporting good news one day after the Hanshin was Arlington's leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. George Todaro, Howard Litt & Hollendorfer's Globalize, who was pulled up after bleeding during the early part of the Hanshin, was doing well, Hollendorfer confirmed.

"However, he won't run again at this meeting," Hollendorfer said, when asked about future plans for last year's Turfway Spiral Stakes winner.

ARLINGTON PREVIEWS TRAINER JIM ECKROSH'S 92ND BIRTHDAY SUNDAY

Veteran Arlington Park conditioner Jim Eckrosh will be honored Sunday at Arlington Park between the fourth and fifth races, in advance recognition of his 92nd birthday on Tuesday, a non-racing day at Chicago's premier thoroughbred oval.

Eckrosh, born in Des Moines, Iowa, July 10, 1909, is possibly the oldest active trainer in the nation. He grew up in South Dakota and made his living as a pool hustler prior to turning to a career as a horse trainer.

Eckrosh will be joined during Sunday's winner's circle ceremonies by his wife Phyllis and stepson Larry Jones, as well as his primary owner William Cortesi.

Eckrosh, who first came to Arlington in 1937, is currently 38th on the list of all-time leading trainers at Arlington Park, and had saddled 186 wins locally through Saturday's program. Among his top horses in recent years was 1998 Illinois champion 3-year-old Magic Doe, who is still an active campaigner in the Eckrosh barn.

BITS & BRIDLES

  Arlington-based jockey Frank Lovato Jr., riding at Woodbine Race Course Saturday, finished second aboard Grade I Beverly D. nominee Badouizm, owned by Epona Farm. Badouizm was beaten three-quarters of a length by Morgan Firestone's Alexis, but finished three-quarters of length in front of Sam-Son Farm's Only to You, another Beverly D. nominee.

  Trainer Tom Dorris was responsible for both halves of the exacta and quinella on Saturday's first race, saddling the winning Princess El, owned by William G. Franks, and the runner-up Alice de Rodashay, owned by Tom & Robert Dew.

  Jockey Robby Albarado, Arlington's champion jockey in 1996 and soon to be a regular in the colony this summer, recorded two riding wins for the day, aboard Two Bucks Stable's Morava in the seventh and astride Bright Valour in the Grade III Hanshin Cup.

  Jockey Ray Sibille, Arlington's champion jockey in 1980, also recorded a riding double with Crown's Way Farm, P. Cappas, Founders Group et al's Wilbur in the third, and Richard F. Rudolph's San Pedro in the sixth.

  Jockey Rene Douglas, new this summer as a regular member of the local colony, also posted two wins and a "bookend" double for the day, winning the opener on Princess El and the finale astride Brook Smith's Blue Sky Belle.

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