Futurity, Lassie top Arlington program

High Roll and Whyruawesome, both impressive debut winners at Arlington over

the summer, are among nine juveniles entered for Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000

Arlington-Washington Futurity at the suburban Chicago course. The historic

one-mile stakes shares a program with its filly counterpart, the $100,000

Arlington-Washington Lassie, also at one mile.

High Roll, a gelded son of Roman Ruler, was a comfortable winner by 3 3/4

lengths in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden on August 3. The Jim DiVito charge broke fast

and took an early lead he would not relinquish while satisfying bettors who bet

him to 2-1 favoritism.

In contrast, Whyruawesome's August 16 score over seven furlongs was more

eventful. Off slowly after getting pinched at the start, the gelded son of

Whywhywhy found himself 10 lengths off the pace at the first call. With a

sustained bid in the final quarter-mile, the Anne Smith pupil rallied to win by

a half-length in a strung-out field.

Two intriguing challengers to the top pair are Captain's Affair and Solitary

Ranger. Captain's Affair, who races for Team Valor, makes his U.S. debut in the

Futurity following two starts in Ireland. A photo-finish debut winner over seven

furlongs at Gowran Park in early May, the Captain Rio colt next finished fifth

in the El Gran Senor over the same distance at Tipperary.

Solitary Ranger, a maiden trained by Wayne Catalano, finished second in both

of his outings at Keeneland in April. In the latter, he finished two lengths

behind No Nay Never, who later exerted his superiority over some of Europe's

best juveniles when taking the Norfolk at Royal Ascot and the Prix Morny at

Deauville.

The remainder of the Futurity field consists of Joedini, third at odds-on in

the Mountaineer Juvenile last time; last-out maiden winners Cee 'n O, Lots

Mischief, and Gone Mountain; and Mighty Brown, who has placed on dirt, turf, and

synthetic in three maiden attempts.

Jim DiVito also has a strong entry in the Lassie with Maria Maria, who rolled

to a 3 1/2-length maiden win on July 19 in her third attempt. Second in that

race was the returning Battlefield Angel, who came back to break her maiden on

August 9.

Divergent View, a two-time winner and runner-up in the Prairie Gold Lassie,

and Ontario Debutante runner-up Sweeithsoutherndame, are the only ones in the

field with positive stakes experience. But others with more first-hand knowledge

over the local Polytrack figure to attract more attention. These include local

grads Tamazula, Bellarada, She's Offlee Good, and Richies Sweetheart.

Gumdrop, a neck second to Battlefield Angel in her debut, and turf debut

winner Istanford, will represent the solid Mike Stidham barn in the Lassie.

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