Connections seeking redemption for Marketing Mix in Beverly D.

Connections seeking redemption for Marketing Mix in Beverly

D.

Marketing Mix's connections have international aspirations for their

five-year-old Medaglia d'Oro mare -- even beyond her racing career -- but

they're hoping to take care of some business at home first.

Marketing Mix is the likely favorite for the $750,000 Beverly D., one of four

races as part of the International Festival of Racing on Saturday at Arlington.

She finished second by a head in this race last year -- a loss that still haunts

Craig Bernick of owner Glen Hill Farm.

"We've had this race circled since after the Breeders' Cup," Bernick said of

Marketing Mix's runner-up finish to Zagora in the Filly & Mare Turf. "She was

probably best in this race last year. She had nowhere to go, had to shift wide

at the eighth pole and was coming but just didn't get there.

"We'd love to win this race in Chicago. My grandparents were both born in

Chicago and met after the war. I grew up here, and came to appreciate the

Million, Secretariat, and Beverly D. as legitimate international Grade 1 races.

It takes a top-class horse to win these races, and hopefully ours gets the job

done. She'd going great, and we're excited to run her."

Bernick hopes the Beverly D.'s stature as an international-level race

elevates his mare to international prestige. If all goes well on Saturday at

Arlington, future races this year could include the $3 million Breeders' Cup

Turf and the $2.8 million Hong Kong Cup -- both 1 1/2-mile races against males.

And just maybe winning those kinds of races would be enough for Juddmonte to

allow Bernick to book his mare to the world-renowned ten-time Group 1 winner

Frankel.

"If she's healthy and runs well in Beverly D. and whatever next race is then

last race of year then we'd likely run her in Hong Kong," Bernick said. "We

don't want to get ahead of ourselves, though; the Beverly D. would be biggest

race we've won since the 1994 Breeders' Cup (Distaff)."

One Dreamer provided that win with Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens aboard.

Stevens came out of an eight-year retirement this year and has flourished. Not

only did he win the Gamely aboard Marketing Mix, but also scored a front-running

victory in the Preakness with Oxbow.

"Stevens on a horse likes to show a little more speed than (Julian) Leparoux

and (Garret) Gomez," Bernick said of Marketing Mix's previous jockeys. "They're

all good riders, and once you give them a leg up that's who's in charge. I would

think since Gary likes his horses to show speed, we'll be just off the pace in

(the Beverly D.), and that's fine."

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