Million Preview Day just that as winners, also-rans now point for big races

Million Preview Day just that as winners, also-rans now

point for big races

At age nine, Robert E. Courtney Jr.'s Rahystrada seems to

be ripening with age for his connections, as evidenced by his impressive victory

Saturday in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap, the centerpiece of Million Preview

Day at Arlington Park.

After winning by a hard-fought half-length -- his third win

in as many tries in the race -- the Byron "Scooter" Hughes-trained gelding was no

worse for the wear Sunday morning.

"He came out of the race very well. He's all

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning," the conditioner reported. "We'll

take a look (at the Arlington Million) and see how he's doing the next few days,

but we sure do like it (at Arlington). He won pretty impressively yesterday.

Rosie (Napravnik) did a heck of a job riding him. I think he like 'girl riders'

best (Inez Karlsson rode him to victory in 2010)."

In three previous Arlington Million attempts, Rahystrada

has finished fifth (2011), fourth (2010) and a dead-heat third (2012). "We'd

like to skip a spot and go right to first," laughed Hughes.

While the connections of runner-up Temeraine were not

reached, race favorite and third-place Dullahan will stay on his scheduled path

of using the Arlington 'Cap as a stepping stone for a title defense run in the

August 25 Pacific

Classic over Del Mar's Polytrack, a surface upon which he has won three Grade 1 races).

Shadwell Stable's fourth-place finisher Najjaar exited his

1 3/4-length loss in healthy order, even if the connections would have preferred a

win.

"With Najjaar, I am a little disappointed," trainer Danny Peitz admitted. "I just don't think the race set

up for him and I think he needs more pace. He was just kind of one-paced.

"(Jockey Leandro Goncalves) realized about halfway through that the pace wasn't

too fast and at that point couldn't do much. He also thought the ground was a

little softer at Churchill last time, and he liked that a little more. So,

perhaps it was a little firmer than he really likes. We'll think about both the Million and

(American) St. Leger. We'll have to make some decisions with him."

Just because Najjaar didn't get the win in the Arlington Handicap doesn't

mean Peitz went home empty handed on Saturday.

Back on May 22, the horseman spoke the praises of an

underachieving filly in his barn who simply needed more time, turf and real

estate to show what she could do. He substantiated

that claim with a 16-hand chestnut exclamation point named Ausus in the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap.

Pulling away to win by 2 1/4

lengths at odds of 8-1, the Shadwell homebred daughter of Horse of the Year Invasor displayed a superb acceleration in the final local prep for the Beverly D. Stakes on August 17.

The fact that Ausus ran well did not surprise the

conditioner, but the manner in which she did such was eye-opening.

"She's been a

grinder before. But, yesterday she showed a big turn of foot," Peitz said.

"(Jockey) James (Graham)

knew she was in the right spot and she kicked on. She's run so hard and been so

competitive before -- it's nice to win a race with her. I think she will

actually like even more distance. Her best might be a mile and a quarter or even

a mile and three-eighths."

As far as the future, the filly will be aimed toward the

next obvious step.

"Hopefully we have a good month here for the Beverly D," Peitz reported. "I

think we're in pretty good shape this morning -- she looks good. She will have

to take another step forward."

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's runner-up Artemus Kitten outran

her 9-1 odds to finish a valiant second after prompting a solid pace.

Conditioner Mike Maker was very pleased with the performance.

"She ran a lot

better than we expected. She has a good chance of moving forward to the Beverly

D.," the trainer confirmed.

Local favorite and 2-1 post time choice La Tia came out of

the race in good order, according to trainer Armando De La Cerda.

"She looks

OK so far," he said of the Hernandez Racing Club-owned charge who, after setting the pace under Constantino Roman, fought hard with Artemus Kitten until both were inhaled by Ausus.

"I feel like she ran OK. Maybe it was a little too far

with having that kind of pressure. She tried and came back," De La Cerda

remarked of the Illinois-bred, who could still possibly be under consideration

for the Beverly D. "I think the distance

was definitely tough on her. Plus, the speed didn't hold very well yesterday on

the turf."

Dark Cove, one of seven competitors from the Ramseys stable at Arlington on Saturday, proved to be the shortest-priced and their only winner on the card when taking down the Grade

3 Stars and Stripes Stakes, the last local prep for the American St.

Leger.

In a smart ride by Napravnik in her first ever at

Arlington, the son of Medaglia d'Oro tracked defending race champion Ioya

Bigtime, put that foe away and then held off the charging local duo of Team

Block's Suntracer and Midwest Thoroughbreds' The Pizza Man.

The muscular dark bay, whose eventual goal is the Breeders' Cup Marathon in

November, "came out perfect," according to trainer Maker. "There are a lot of options from

here, but most likely we'll make an appearance. I don't see why he wouldn't go

the distance (of the St. Leger)."

Suntracer, after making a sharp move at the quarter-pole

under new jockey Julien Leparoux, finished well to fall short by 1 3/4 lengths in

second. He and eventual fourth-placed stablemate Ioya Bigtime were "both in good

shape and a little tired, but all else looks fine," according to trainer Chris

Block. "It's possible (they will run in the St. Leger), but I'm not committed to

it. We'll decide in a couple weeks. Right now we have no plans."

Block also mentioned that Team Block's I O Ireland, who ran

a close fourth against older fillies in a second-level allowance in the 5TH race

is on target for the Hatoof for

sophomore fillies on Million Day.

"She ran quite well considering she is a filly

who hasn't had a chance to develop because of things not going well in Florida

this winter. I think she's just coming around," Block said of the Giant's

Causeway half-sister to Ioya Bigtime.

Team Valor's Infinite Magic, who sharply won the Grade 3 American Derby on Saturday, could join his Europe-based stablemate

First Cornerstone in the Secretariat Stakes on Arlington

Million Day. The son of More Than Ready earned a fees-paid entry into the

Secretariat after winning by a head over Admiral Kitten and Stormy Len for

trainer Rick Mettee.

"Infinite Magic, yesterday's upset winner of the American

Derby, vans back to Fair Hill today. Next race TBD. Maybe (Secretariat Stakes).

We also have First Cornerstone pointing there," Team Valor's Bradley

Weisbord reported via Twitter on Sunday.

The well-regarded First Cornerstone, trained by Andy

Oliver, has been pointed to the Secretariat since running a respectable fifth in

the Irish Two Thousand Guineas on May 25.

The Ramseys' Admiral's Kitten once again

displayed his affinity for playing the bridesmaid with a fourth-straight

runner-up finish for Maker in the American Derby.

"He came out fine. Hopefully he'll

break through the goal line next out in the Secretariat. We are aiming toward

that right now," the conditioner confirmed.

Finishing a solid third was Stormy Len, whom trainer David Donk has indicated to Arlington officials

is likely to be back for the Secretariat. Donk previously won both the

Secretariat and Arlington Million.

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