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Contact: Michael Adolphson
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Barn Notes: Sunday, June 29, 2014
In Today's Notes:
- My Option Exits Chicago Handicap Romp Well
- Ceisteach to Take on Boys in American Derby
- Afortable and I O Ireland Work toward Million Preview Day
MY OPTION EXITS CHICAGO HANDICAP ROMP WELL
Tim Keeley's star mare My Option exited her 6½-length romp in Saturday's Grade III Chicago Handicap in good order on Sunday morning, according to trainer Chris Block. The daughter of Belong to Me won her fourth career stakes – second at a graded level – for her connections and ended a six-race losing streak of close calls and quality performances over various conditions.
"She came out really good and ate up well last night," Block reported. "She seems very bright, alert and happy this morning. I don't know where to go with her next, but Tim and I will sit down in a week or so and talk about that."
With her previous win coming over the Arlington International Racecourse oval last summer in the Grade III Arlington Oaks, the versatile My Option – a stakes winner on dirt and synthetic surfaces and graded stakes-placed on turf – has proven especially lethal over the local Polytrack. "She really likes the footing on this Polytrack, but I don't think she has to have a certain racetrack," Block said. "I think anywhere between seven-eighths and a mile and a sixteenth around two turns is in her range."
The multiple Illinois champion was making her third start of the season after an unlucky third in the Third Chance Handicap at Hawthorne in April and a bad start in the Grade III Hendrie Stakes at Woodbine in May. Prior to the commencement of her season, she was given a five-month refresher. "When you give a horse a break, you hope they come back where they were before," Block explained. "Sometimes they don't come back, especially the fillies. I knew the way she was coming into this race well and she was kind of blossoming out of her last race."
The next chapter for the dark gray winner of five of 13 starts is still up for grabs. "I won't say no to places farther away (namely the Grade I Clement Hirsch at Del Mar on Aug. 2), but I would definitely rather try to stay here or look at Woodbine," Block concluded. On the filly's radar at the end of the summer is the Grade III $150,000 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine at the same seven furlongs and similar Polytrack surfaces as yesterday's romp.
CEISTEACH TO TAKE ON BOYS IN AMERICAN DERBY
Glen Hill Farm's Ceisteach worked Sunday morning toward what will be a race against the boys in the Grade III $200,000 American Derby on July 12, going five Polytrack furlongs in 1:01.60 at Arlington International Racecourse for trainer Tom Proctor. The daughter of European champion juvenile New Approach had been intended to take on her elders in the Grade III $200,000 Modesty Handicap on the same card, but instead her connections decided to opt to stay within her own age group.
Glen Hill Farm will not be without representation in the Modesty, as the outfit also worked Gulsary, an improving and talented daughter Galileo intended to start in that race. The multiple stakes-placed mare went in an identical time to Ceisteach.
"They worked good. They went on their own and I was really happy with what I saw," Lindsay Schultz, assistant to Proctor on hand for the works, immediately reported.
"I try not to react to works too much, but they all worked well," affirmed Proctor, who is currently in California with his West Coast string. "It looks like Gulsary is headed to the Modesty and Ceisteach will most likely take on the boys in the American Derby." The decision on the American Derby was later confirmed via text with Glen Hill Farm President Craig Bernick.
Also on the work tab for the Glen Hill/Proctor team was stable star Global View, who is preparing for big races this summer for turf sophomores – namely the Grade I Belmont Derby Invitational on July 5 at Belmont Park and the Grade I Secretariat Stakes on Aug. 16 at Arlington.
Working on Polytrack, the multiple graded stakes-winning sophomore son of Galileo went an impressive 1:01.40 for five furlongs. "Global View was better than last week," Schultz reported. "There was a pair of workers about 10 lengths in front of him that got him going and a little more keen."
Proctor declared a similar sentiment. "He's on track for the (Belmont Derby), but if something comes up, he always has the option of coming back the following week for the American Derby."
AFFORTABLE AND I O IRELAND WORK TOWARD MILLION PREVIEW DAY
Team Block's pair of Afortable and I O Ireland put in important moves toward their dates with Million Preview Day, July 12, on Sunday morning. Both working six furlongs on the grass, Afortable (also co-owned by Tom Fedro) worked handily in tandem with multiple graded stakes winner General Election in 1:14.40 and I O Ireland went in 1:17.40.
"The American Derby is the goal for Afortable" said trainer Chris Block. Last out the son of Fort Prado was third in the Grade III Arlington Classic in only his fourth career start. "It was a real good work. (Afortable and General Election) are a good pair together. They galloped off nice and smooth and when they gathered them up at the eighth-pole to finish, they finished good together."
Stakes winner I O Ireland – a half to Illinois champion Ioya Bigtime by Giant's Causeway – went more leisurely this morning while working solo. "She works better on the grass. She definitely gets across it a lot better," Block explained. "We're going to go in the Modesty. I know she'll be a price in there, but I think the farther she goes, the better she'll be. It's hard to find those kinds of races. She's here and she doesn't ship too well, so we will run her. Ultimately we want to run her at a mile and a half and around three turns."
Last out, in her second start of the season, the emblazoned chestnut was a good second to subsequent Lincoln Heritage Handicap winner Kepi in a good allowance on June 5 going one mile – a distance below her optimum. Keeneland's Listed $125,000 Dowager Stakes at a mile and a half is said to be a possible goal this season.
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David Zenner│Senior Manager of Communications
Arlington International Racecourse
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