Arlington Matron

Saturday's $150,000 Arlington Matron H. (G3) will feature a field of six,

including an entry, and MAGGIE SLEW (Seattle Slew) will be seeking her first

stakes win. She just missed in her last two starts, finishing second in both the

Gardenia H. (G3) and Iowa Oaks (G3), and we'll look for her to lead wire to

wire.

The last foal by the great sire Seattle Slew, Maggie Slew didn't enjoy much

success at two, but she's really come on this year for conditioner David Vance,

winning a pair of allowance races at Churchill Downs this summer before just

missing in the Iowa Oaks two starts back. She faced a tough rival last time in

Prospective Saint (Saint Ballado) and gave a very good account of herself

against the heavy favorite before finishing a game second. Maggie Slew has

earned respectable BRIS Speed ratings in those starts, and she's got plenty of

room for improvement. The three-year-old miss could wind up being the lone speed

against her elders.

SUNSET KISSES (Sky Classic) returned off a brief freshening with a sharp

score at Arlington, her fourth lifetime win over the track, and she's going very

well presently for conditioner Christine Janks. The six-year-old mare has

captured three of her last four starts on the main track, and her last effort,

which was her first at nine furlongs, offers plenty of encouragement. Sunset

Kisses' tactical speed is another advantage.

TAKE A CHECK (Touch Gold) is the 6-5 favorite on the morning line, but she's

dropped her last six starts and is winless from three attempts at the distance.

The gray filly has the class to be effective at this level, but we'll try to

beat her for the top spot in her first start at Arlington.

SEA SIREN (Stormy Atlantic) is eligible to improve off her graded debut last

time, but her Speed ratings are too low for us to recommend her chances. STOP A

TRAIN (Devil His Due) brings a three-race winning skein into this event, but

she'll be facing a stiff class check. FOR GILLIAN (Gold Fever) doesn't look fast

enough to challenge.