|
|
|
ARLINGTON NOTES
| Arlington Park Barn Notes
Contact: Graham Ross
(847) 385-7500 ext. 7319 In today's notes:
LUNAR BOUNTY NO MOONSHOT IN ARLINGTON-WASHINGTON FUTURITY Tom R. Durant's Lunar Bounty, second by a half-length in the $75,000 Spectacular Bid here, will now shoulder the favorite's mantel in Saturday's Grade II Arlington-Washington Futurity following the late defection of Larry F. Tulle's Double Zero Seven. "We just jogged," said Lunar Bounty's exercise rider Liz Call Thursday morning, the day of entries for the final Grade II event of the Arlington season. "He's been doing very well and he was loping great this morning." Ronny Werner, trainer of Lunar Bounty, was out of town Thursday and due back in time to saddle the colt in Saturday's featured one-mile event. The local Futurity, observing it's 67th renewal to highlight this weekend's racing program, has been used as a stepping stone to future greatness by both Buckpasser and Spend a Buck, who each went on to win Horse of the Year honors. Lunar Bounty, who broke his maiden here on the seventh day of the Arlington Park season this summer, journeyed to Churchill Downs for his second start and captured the Grade II Bashford Manor in his second trip to the post July 8. Then, following a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Grade II Saratoga Special, the Florida-bred son of Migrating Moon returned to Arlington for the Spectacular Bid, could not match Double Zero Seven in the final strides but was clearly second best. "He ran a great race (in the Spectacular Bid)," said Call. "He just got beat that day. One thing I do know, however, is that he really likes this race track." Owner Tom Durant, campaigning his stable for the first time at Arlington, has enjoyed a successful meeting, with a 24 per cent win ratio, and has accrued purse earnings of $147,990. Should Lunar Bounty win on Saturday, those earnings will increase by $90,000. TINKER TRIES AGAIN FOR TAFEL IN SATURDAY'S GRADE II TEST James Tafel, a long time resident of Barrington, Illinois who won the Grade I Travers at Saratoga one summer ago with Unshaded, will look forward to the future when he sees his silks go to the post on Tinker in Saturday's Futurity. "We need another big horse," said Tafel Thursday morning, when reached on his car phone on the way to a golf outing. "I'm looking forward to Tinker running a big race on Saturday. I don't have any idea what the competition is, but I plan on being there. Who knows how he'll do? We'll just have to see." Tinker, who broke his maiden here in his initial trip to the post August 18, came back to finish third in the $75,000 Spectacular Bid, final local prep for Saturday's Futurity. Although he makes his home in Barrington, Tafel has 10 broodmares in Kentucky who are boarded at three of the most prestigious farms in the Bluegrass - Claiborne, Darby Dan and Mill Ridge. Tinker is a homebred son of Tafel's stud Binalong out of Tafel's mare Lady Tori, who is a daughter of Fappiano. DOUGLAS DELIVERS THURSDAY EARNINGS TO TRAGEDY VICTIMS Leading rider Rene Douglas has become a strong fan favorite during his first summer as a member of the local jockey colony, but his increasing number of local admirers have an additional reason to root for him on Thursday. The Panamanian reinsman has pledged to donate his entire earnings for the Thursday program to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund for victims of the September 11 national tragedy. Within the last week, the red-hot rider has passed both the $3 million mark in purse earnings for the Arlington season and also cracked the 100-win mark at the local session. As a group, the Arlington Park jockey colony contributed $2,705 to Red Cross Fund in collections completed earlier this week. Bob Benoit & Associates, Inc., official track photographer at Arlington Park and the Oak Tree Racing Association Meeting at Santa Anita Park, donated the proceeds from the sale of track photos on Wednesday to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. A check for $1,392 was made out to the American Red Cross. FULL FIELD IN 6TH WORLD SERIES LEG CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY A full field of 12, several of whom have Arlington connections, has been named to go to the post in Sunday's Grade I Canadian International at Woodbine Racecourse, sixth leg of World Series 2001. The mile and a half Canadian International is the first North American contest in the World Series since the Grade I Arlington Million was run as the highlight of the International Festival of Racing August 18. Sam-Son Farm's Strut The Stage, second by a nose in the Grade I Secretariat here at Arlington August 18, is prominent in the field. Also among those named is Gary Tanaka's Falcon Flight, winner of the Grade III Stars and Stripes here at Arlington on July 1. Others named are Zindabad, Dawson's Legacy, Lodge Hill, Daliapour, Falcon Flight, River Boat, Slew the Red, Paolini, Slew Valley and Mutamam. Williams News, third in the Stars and Stripes July 1, won that same race in 2000 and was second by a nose in the last year's Canadian International. NEW FIRST POST TIME OF 12:30 P.M. BEGINS OCTOBER 3 Arlington Park has announced that beginning next Wednesday, October 3, post time for the first race each afternoon will be 12:30 p.m. The new post time remains in effect for the rest of the season, which ends October 28, and has been adopted to take advantage of the shortened hours of daylight. Date Time Event Sat. Sept. 29 First post 1 p.m. Daily Racing Form/NTRA Handicapping Contest (1st Round) Sun. Sept. 30 First post 1 p.m. Canadian International Simulcast from Woodbine Sat. Oct. 6 First post 12:30 p.m. Daily Racing Form/NTRA Handicapping Contest (2nd Round) Sun. Oct. 7 8 a.m. Arc de Triomphe Simulcast - Breakfast at Arlington Mon. Oct. 8 First post 12:30 p.m. Columbus Day -- "Bring Back the '50s" Sat. Oct. 13 First post 12:30 p.m. Daily Racing Form/NTRA Handicapping Contest (3rd Round) Sun. Oct. 14 First Post 12:30 p.m. World Cup of Nations Cup - Amateur Riders (United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland) Sat. Oct. 20 First post 12:30 p.m. Daily Racing Form/NTRA Handicapping Contest (4th Round) Sun. Oct. 21 First post 12:30 p.m. NFL Pigskin Pig Roast at Arlington Park Wed. Oct. 24 6 - 8 p.m. Breeders' Cup Handicapping Seminar Trackside Arlington Park Sat. Oct. 27 First post 10 a.m. Breeders' Cup Day Sun. Oct. 28 First post 12:30 p.m. Free Admission - Fan Appreciation Day at Arlington Park - END - |
Home |
News Updates |
Racing Now |
Forums |
Search
Resources |
Links |
Classifieds |
Gallery |
Advertising |
Contact Us
Copyright © 2000-2013 Chicago Barn to Wire. All rights reserved.
Privacy policy
Friday, September 28, will be the last 3 p.m. special twilight racing program of the 2001 racing season at Arlington Park.