FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Zenner
(847) 385-7535
Cell (847) 371-1670
LOCAL THE PIZZA MAN WINS AMERICAN ST. LEGER
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (Aug. 16, 2014) – An international cast assembled for the third edition of the Listed $400,000 American St. Leger, and it was Midwest Thoroughbreds' Illinois-bred and -based The Pizza Man who got the job done.
The Pizza Man completed the local stakes double, winning the Grade III Stars And Stripes last month before annexing the St. Leger on Saturday at Arlington International Racecourse in stakes- and course-record time of 2:47.44.
"I was sitting in a stalking position; I wasn't worried," The Pizza Man jockey Florent Geroux said after his first International Festival of Racing victory. "I was just waiting for him to tell me when to go."
The Pizza Man was cool during the early stages of the 1 11/16-mile race, sitting well off the pace set by Big Kick through fractions of :49.03 and 1:13.04 before fading badly. The Pizza Man ran with 3-to-1 favorite Eye of The Storm entering the far turn but easily dispatched that foe turning for home while opening a 3½-length lead in deep stretch before winning by a diminishing length over last year's St. Leger winner Dandino.
"I had the perfect race," said jockey Frankie Dettori aboard Dandino. "Turning in, I thought we would win, but [The Pizza Man] never stopped. He ran really hard to the line. [Dandino] is coming back to form now."
Havana Beat closed from the back to get third at 15.70-to-1 with the filly Moment In Time fourth beaten just 2¾ lengths and it was a long way back to the rest of the field Eye of The Storm, Admiral Kitten, Moro Tap, Infinite Magic, Suntracer, and pacesetter Big Kick.
The Pizza Man is by champion turf male English Channel out of the Lear Fan mare I Can Fan Fan. He has won 12 of 17 races lifetime and has earned $739,803. He has won eight of 11 starts on the Arlington turf.
Arlington International Racecourse – the Chicago area's premier Thoroughbred racetrack located in Arlington Heights, Ill. – will run an 89-day meet in 2014 from Friday, May 2 through Sunday, Sept. 28. Arlington International Racecourse, whose parent company is Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN), also operates 11 off-track, simulcast-wagering facilities in Arlington Heights, Aurora, Chicago, East Moline, Waukegan, Villa Park, Rockford, South Elgin, Hodgkins, McHenry and Orland Hills. Arlington International Racecourse is a proud member of America's Best Racing. Information on Arlington International Racecourse and Trackside OTB can be found online at www.arlingtonpark.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arlingtonpark and www.facebook.com/tracksideotb, and on Twitter at @Arlington_Park for the latest happenings, @arlingtonracing for the latest racing news and @tracksideotb for all things pertaining to off-track wagering.
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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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