Promising juveniles High Roll and Captain's Affair headline a field of nine 2-year-olds in the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. III) Saturday, Sept. 7 at Arlington Park.
All nine juveniles entered are in search of their first stakes win in the race to be contested on the one-turn mile as the seventh race on the card.
Curtis Green's High Roll has just one start under his belt but was an impressive winner at first asking. The son of Roman Ruler wired his rivals in his debut, winning by 3 3/4 lengths over 51/2-furlongs Aug. 3 at Arlington. High Roll is trained by Jimmy DiVito and jockey Francisco Torres gets a return call Saturday.
Team Valor International's recent European import Captain's Affair certainly takes the prize for most distance traveled to the Futurity having last raced at Tipperary in Ireland where the son of Captain Rio finished fifth in the El Gran Senor Stakes over a grassy seven furlongs. Prior to that, the Irish-bred colt broke his maiden at Gowran Park.
Transferred to Team Valor's American trainer Rick Mettee, Captain's Affair will have the services of Mike Smith.
Jerry Namy's Joedini enters off a third-place finish in the Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes Aug. 3 at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort. The Bernardini colt will break form the outside post.
Later in the day, 11 juvenile fillies including Maria Maria and stakes-placed Divergent View and Sweetsoutherndame passed the entry box for the Futurity's sister race, the $100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes, also to be contested at a mile on the Polytrack.
Maria Maria, who comes from the same connections as Futurity runner High Roll, enters the Lassie off a maiden win going seven furlongs over the Arlington Polytrack July 19. A daughter of Curlin , Maria Maria stalked the leader and drew off to score impressively under Torres, who retains the mount aboard the DiVito charge.
$150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. III, race 7, approximate post time 4 p.m. CDT) 2YO, 1 mile, Polytrack
PP, Horse, Jockey, Trainer
1. Cee 'n O (KY), E. Perez, D. Romans
2. Lotsa Mischief (KY), S. Martinez, D. McFarlane
3. High Roll (KY), F. Torres, J. DiVito
4. Solitary Ranger (KY), F. Geroux, W. Catalano
5. Mighty Brown (KY), E. Esquivel, T. Ice
6. Whyruawesome (KY), D. Sanchez, A. Smith
7. Captains Affair (Ire), M. Smith, R. Metee
8. Gone Mountain (KY), K. Desormeaux, M. Tomlinson
9. Joedini (KY), E. Castro, T. Amoss
All carry 118 pounds.
$100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (race 9, approximate post time 5 p.m. CDT) 2YO, fillies, 1 mile, Polytrack
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Gumdrop (PA), E. Esquivel, 117, M. Stidham
2. Battlefield Angel (KY), F. Geroux, 117, W. Catalano
3. Tamazula (FL), K. Dersormeaux, 117, A. De la Cerda
4. Bellarda (IL), J. Felix, 117, A. Granitz
5. She's Offlee Good (KY), E. Castro, 117, R. Scherer
6. Richies Sweetheart (IL), E. Baird, 117, L. Rivelli
7. Istanford (FL), M. Smith, 117, M. Stidham
8. Look Who's Here (IL), N. Vigil, 117, T. Gore
9. Maria Maria (KY), F. Torres, 117, J. Divito
10. Divergent View (FL), C. Emigh, 119, T. Amoss
11. Sweetsoutherndame (KY), P. Morales, 117, T. Hamm