Multiple grade I stakes winner Winchester heads a field of seven grass runners entered for the $100,000 Stars and Stripes Stakes (gr. IIIT), a 1 1/2-mile turf event July 23.
Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone's 6-year-old homebred makes his first start of the year for trainer Christophe Clement. The son of Theatrical won both the Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) and Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) at Belmont Park in 2010. The lifetime earner of $1,237,898 makes his first start at Arlington since capturing the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) as a 3-year-old.
Winchester has not been out since finishing 11th in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (HK-I) at Sha Tin last December. Cornelio Velasquez has the mount. He has been training at Belmont for his return.
The Stars and Stripes is race 9 on the Arlington card and is scheduled to go off at 5:07 p.m. CDT.
William Stiritz’ Proceed Bee, a Scott Becker-trained son of Bernstein, took the Hawthorne Derby (gr. IIIT) in October 2009 and is seeking his first graded stakes win since then. He made a belated run to finish sixth in the 10-furlong Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT) July 11. Chris Emigh is aboard.
Frank Mancari’s Free Fighter, a son of Out of Place now trained by Mike Reavis, won the 2009 edition of the Stars and Stripes when conditioned by Chris Block. Free Fighter, winless in five starts in 2011, ran fourth in the Arlington 'Cap. Tim Thornton is aboard Free Fighter once more.
Kingofthebluegrass comes off a win by a nose in the Independence Day Stakes at Mountaineer July 3, his second stakes win of the year for trainer Tevis McCauley and owner Ron McCauley. The Petionville colt is making his debut at Arlington.
Getta Rhythm, trained by Melvin Kendrick, registered a nine-length win over an optional claiming allowance field on the Arlington Polytrack June 26 for owner Philip Matich.
$100,000 Stars and Stripes Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 9, 5:07 p.m.), 3 & Up, 1 1/2 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Kingofthebluegrass (KY), J Alvarado, 121, T Q McCauley
2. Proceed Bee (KY), C A Emigh, 119, S Becker
3. Hattaash (KY), T Riggs, 119, C L Bettis
4. Lemonade Kid (IL), J Z Santana, 119, A Mitchell
5. Winchester (VA), C H Velasquez, 119, C Clement
6. Free Fighter (IL), T Thornton, 119, M L Reavis
7. Getta Rhythm (KY), J Graham, 119, M A Kendrick