Two-time graded stakes winner Silver Max appears the one to collar in the $125,000 Arlington Classic, which kicks off the “Mid-America Triple” on turf for 3-year-olds at Arlington Park May 26.
The Classic, at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, shares the spotlight with the grade III Arlington Matron on the Saturday program. The Triple continues with the American Derby (gr. IIIT) July 14 and the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) Aug. 18.
Silver Max, owned by Mark Bacon and Dana Wells, made it look easy in the May 4 American Turf Stakes (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs. The Badge of Silver colt broke from post 12 but quickly had the rail and the lead and coasted home by 2 1/4 lengths while never threatened.
In his previous start at Keeneland April 6, the Dale Romans trainee wired the field in the Transylvania Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds. Silver Max has four wins and three seconds in seven starts on grass.
Shaun Bridgmohan picks up the mount on Silver Max as the co-high weight at 126 pounds from post 7 in a 10-horse field.
Trainer Tim Ice entered two colts in the Arlington Classic for owner Black Gold Racing: No Spin and Slamit. No Spin, by Johannesburg, has a win and a second in two starts on turf, while Slamit, by Grand Slam, will make his grass debut.
Ice told Arlington officials he liked the way Slamit handled the Arlington turf in a May 20 workout in which he was timed in 1:27 for seven furlongs on a firm course.
“I’m particularly anxious to see how Slamit runs over the grass (in the Classic),” Ice said. “He has never run a race on grass; in fact, he’d never even stepped on a turf course until last Sunday when I worked him and No Spin together on the turf here. I thought he worked really well going over it.”
Ice said No Spin, who was timed in 1:14.40 for six furlongs in the work, also handled the course well. The colt won the Royal Glint Stakes on the turf at Hawthorne Race Course last fall.
Channing Hill is named to ride No Spin at 119 pounds from post 6, while Slamit will be ridden by Rosemary Homeister Jr. at 121 pounds from post 10.
The co-high weight is Raut LLC’s Hero of Order , winner of the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) in April. The Sharp Humor colt finished a close second in the Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots before the Louisiana Derby.
Quincy Hamilton gets the call from trainer Gennadi Dorochenko from post 1.
$125,000 Arlington Classic (Race 8, 4:48 p.m. CDT), 3-year-Olds, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Hero of Order (KY), Q Hamilton, 126, G Dorochenko
2. All Stormy (KY), F Geroux, 119, G Geier
3. Sachem Spirit (KY), C J Lanerie, 121, N J Howard
4. Street Serenade (KY), W Martinez, 119, A McKeever
5. North of Never (KY), F C Torres, 119, A J Granitz
6. No Spin (KY), C Hill, 119, T A Ice
7. Silver Max (KY), S Bridgmohan, 126, D L Romans
8. Najjaar (KY), J Graham, 119, D C Peitz
9. Monastic (KY), S J Sellers, 119, T F Proctor
10. Slamit (FL), R B Homeister Jr., 121, T A Ice
