In the history of Arlington
Park, only two 3-year-old fillies have won the Grade III Arlington Oaks over
the main track and come back to win the Grade III Pucker Up Stakes over
Arlington’s world famous turf course.
However, as of Sunday, the day
after Stone Farm, John Adger, Oak Crest Farm and Michael Stidham’s Upperline
won the 2010 Arlington Oaks, it appears she will try to join Dan Agnew’s Top
Corsage in 1986 and Arthur B. Hancock III and Leone J. Peters’ Ribbon in 1980
as the third sophomore member of the distaff set to accomplish that feat.
“That’s the plan right now,”
said trainer Stidham Sunday morning. “She’s looking good this morning,
and if all goes well the Pucker Up (Sept. 6) will be her next start.”
Although Upperline is winless
in two lifetime starts on the grass, the daughter of Maria’s Mon out of the
Caerleon mare Snowflake gave a good account of herself at first turf asking in
Gulfstream’s $125,000 Coconut Grove Stakes when fifth beaten less than two
lengths Feb. 14, and once again in that South Florida oval’s Grade III
Herecomesthebride when third beaten one length for the win on March 6.
Two other Stidham trainees
worked Sunday morning at Arlington,
with Estrorace LLC’s Workin for Hops breezing a half-mile in 49 flat while
remaining on track for Arlington
Park’s
Grade II American Derby July 17 as the second leg of the Mid-America Triple on
Million Preview Day. Workin for Hops won the first leg of the Triple when
capturing the 75th renewal of the Arlington Classic May 22.
Stidham also worked Darley
Stable’s Tybalt five-eighths in 1:01 flat Sunday morning.
“I entered Tybalt in (Sunday’s
Grade III Firecracker Handicap on the grass at Churchill Downs) but scratched
him,” said Stidham. “I think instead I’ll take him to Delaware
Park
next weekend for the ($100,000) Sussex Stakes on the main track. This
horse has won over all three surfaces (dirt, turf and Polytrack) so our options
are somewhat open with him.”
CALABRESE, CANANI, ALVARADO COMBINE FOR SATURDAY
TRIPLE
Frank Calabrese, Arlington’s perennial
leading owner over the last decade, enlisted the talents of his primary trainer
Nick Canani and defending jockey champion Junior Alvarado to share a winning
triple on Saturday’s Arlington
program.
The owner-trainer-jockey trio
won the second half of Saturday’s Daily Double with first time starter Playing
a Joke, returned to the winner’s circle after the fifth with Far From Shy and
completed their troika with Cartouche in the seventh event.