FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Adolphson
(847) 385-7558
Barn Notes: Saturday, May 24, 2014
In Today's Notes:
- Cool Cowboy Possible for Belmont Stakes Undercard
- Illinois H.O.Y. Work All Week Lights up Track with Return Bullet
- Solar Flair Works Well Saturday toward Springfield
COOL COWBOY POSSIBLE FOR BELMONT STAKES UNDERCARD
One of the most impressive juveniles to race at Arlington International Racecourse in 2013 and subsequently a multiple stakes winner, Savoy Stable's Cool Cowboy could possibly be headed toward Belmont Stakes Day at Belmont Park on June 7.
"He's doing great," trainer Dale Bennett reported. "He came out of his last race good. He's eating good and doing really well. We're weighing our options. We might go back to Prairie Meadows and run against older horses in a stakes or we might go to Belmont (for the Grade II $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes).
In addition to breaking his maiden at Arlington by 10½ lengths in a spritely 1:03.37 for 5½ furlongs, the son of Eclipse Champion Sprinter Kodiak Kowboy also won the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 7 and the $75,000 Golden Circle Stakes at Prairie Meadows on May 2 – both at six furlongs. In the latter, he was especially eye-catching with a final time of 1:08.84 and a 101 Equibase Speed Figure.
"He also got a 98 Beyer (Speed Figure) – and that's really impressive," Bennett said. "He hadn't run in four months before that, so I don't want to wheel him back too fast."
According to Bennett, wintering in Florida did the horse well. In addition to his victory in the Inaugural, he was a good second in the Pasco Stakes. Being in Florida and being able to train all the time really helps. The track isn't as deep or slow as it used to be, but the weather makes the main difference and he did well."
The conditioner also looks forward to the coming year with the developing colt. Out of a mare by versatile sire Grand Slam, he is bred to possibly appreciate many conditions. "I had him entered going a mile on the grass, recently, but that race was tough" said Bennett of the salty allowance that featured graded stakes winners Bobby's Kitten and Global View. "I think he'll maybe get a mile and possibly go two turns. He's still feisty, but he's definitely matured. You still have to walk around him because he'll grab you."
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Barn Notes
May 24, 2014
Page 2
Even if plans are somewhat malleable at this time, Bennett definitely exudes confidence in his charge. "After his (April 27 four-furlong work in a bullet :46.60), he wasn't blowing at all. I think he's ready. We'll find the right spot and that's where we'll run with him. I'll pick a race and aim for it and we'll train him to the race he's aiming. He ships well, which definitely helps," Bennett concluded. Cool Cowboy worked a much more leisurely four furlongs on Saturday morning in :49.00.
ILLINOIS H.O.Y. WORK ALL WEEK LIGHTS UP TRACK WITH RETURN BULLET
Midwest Thoroughbreds' Work All Week returned to the worktab for the first time in 52 days and wasted no time making his reappearance at Arlington International Racecourse known with a bullet four furlongs in :46.00. The son of City Zip and reigning Illinois Horse of the Year and Older Handicap Male was the best of 43 at the distance in a group that included stakes horses Cool Cowboy and Every Way.
A winner of nine of 11 career races and two of his three Arlington starts, Work All Week was last seen winning the $100,000 Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park, blazing six panels in 1:09.84. The Roger Brueggemann trainee is on a six-race win streak and could conceivably be headed toward one of Arlington's premier sprint stakes, including the Listed $100,000 Arlington Sprint on July 5 and the Illinois-restricted $100,000 Addison Cammack Handicap on July 26.
SOLAR FLAIR WORKS WELL TOWARD SPRINGFIELD
B. Jock Racing's Stakes-winning Illinois-bred Solar Flair worked a visually notable five furlongs on Saturday morning at Arlington International Racecourse in advance of next week's restricted $100,000 Springfield Stakes. Trained by Jimmy DiVito, the son of Sun King is exiting a good third in the Land of Lincoln Stakes at Hawthorne Race Course on April 26.
"The work went really well - everything looked good," said DiVito of the 2013 Illinois Reserve Champion 2-Year-Old Colt. "This should set him up for the Springfield well. He finished good and we should be in good shape."
Last year, in addition to breaking his maiden over the Arlington Polytrack – beating subsequent Illinois Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Rambling Richie – the chestnut gelding won the restricted $50,000 Troy Our Boy Stakes at Fairmount Park and was second in the restricted $100,000 Sun Power Stakes at Hawthorne Race Course.
"He might be a little bit better at Arlington than he is at Hawthorne," DiVito added. "So, hopefully we can get things done (in the Springfield). He really ran well last time on the synthetic last year. I'd like to try him on the grass eventually and see how he does. He'll be a solid horse, for sure. How good he's going to be, we'll find out." The Springfield will be run Saturday May 31 at a one-turn mile on the main course and has been won in the past by such quality horses as Fort Prado and Tex's Zing.
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David Zenner│Senior Manager of Communications
Arlington International Racecourse
2200 W. Euclid Ave. Arlington Heights IL 60006-0007
P 847.385.7535│C: 847.371.1670 | F: 847.870.6727│E: David.Zenner@arlingtonpark.com
Twitter: @dave_zenner, @arlingtonracing
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