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Mister Marti Gras tunes up for Washington Park title defense Lothenbach Stables' Mister Marti Gras, hero of last summer's Grade 3 Washington Park Handicap, breezed Sunday at Arlington in advance of Saturday's 78th renewal of the $150,000 event, Arlington's richest race for older horses over its Polytrack course each year. Sunday's five-furlong tune-up was accomplished in 1:04 over Arlington's grass course with the "dogs" well out from the rail. The turf was rated "firm" at the time, hours before showers hit the Chicago oval later in the morning. Trained by Chris Block, Mister Marti Gras is a five-year-old altered son of Belong to Me and has always been known for his ability over all types of ground. His most recent trip to the post was in the grassy Grade 3 Arlington Handicap on July 14 where he finished third, beaten less than three lengths by two horses that went on to contest the Grade 1 Arlington Million earlier this month. Last summer, Mister Marti Gras finished second in the Arlington 'Cap on the grass before going on to his score in the Washington Park 'Cap over the Polytrack, and last fall he won the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs over the Twin Spires oval's main track which was rated "muddy" for the race. W.S. Farish Jr.'s Pool Play, another projected starter in the Washington Park, accomplished a breeze going five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 over Woodbine's Polytrack last Friday. Conditioned by Canadian-based trainer Mark Casse, Pool Play finished fourth in Woodbine's Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes over Polytrack in his most recent start August 4, but before that was also fourth in Woodbine's Ontario Jockey Club Stakes over the Canadian lawn July 2. Pool Play won Churchill's Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap in June of 2011 but was sidelined following that race until returning to competition in this summer's Ontario Jockey Club Stakes. G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and St. George Farm Racing's Middie, considered to be the more probable of two Washington Park Handicap nominees trained by Phil Oliver, breezed a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 over Keeneland's Polytrack Saturday morning. The four-year-old Officer gelding out of a Green Dancer mare finished third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths for the win, in Arlington's grassy Sea o' Erin Stakes on June 9. Zayat Stables' Prayer for Relief, another probable contestant in the Washington Park, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 at Remington Park Saturday. Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Steve Asmussen, Prayer for Relief was second by a nose in Remington's Governor's Cup in his most recent start August 11 and was sixth, but beaten only 1 1/2 lengths for the win, in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap over Del Mar's Polytrack July 28. Prayer for Relief also was the 2 1/2-length hero of the Grade 2 Super Derby last fall over the main track at Louisiana Downs. One intriguing possible starter in the Washington Park 'Cap is Barry Golden's Workin for Hops, who breezed five furlongs in 1:00 over Arlington's Polytrack Saturday. Workin for Hops won the first two legs of Arlington's Mid-America Triple two years ago and was second by a neck in last summer's Washington Park 'Cap before being disqualified and placed third. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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