Lael Stables' Showing Up, winner of the $1 million Colonial Turf Cup in his last start on June 24, has been installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite in Saturday's $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington Park.
The 1 1/4-mile turf test for 3-year-olds is one of three grade I grass stakes on the card that comprises Arlington's "International Festival of Racing." The program includes the $1 million Arlington Million for older turf stars and its sister race, the $750,000 Beverly D., for fillies and mares.
A field of six lines up in the Secretariat.
A son of Strategic Mission, Showing Up has won four of five lifetime starts, with his only loss coming in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), a race won by Barbaro, also owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables. In addition to his win in the Colonial Turf Cup – Showing Up's only turf effort to date – the Barclay Tagg trainee registered a victory in the Lexington Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland. His regular rider Cornelio Velasquez will pilot Showing Up from the rail.
Showing Up will should face a stiff test from the Bill Mott-trained Go Between. The son of
Point Given, owned by "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series creator Peter Vegso, finished third behind Showing Up in the Colonial Turf Cup, beaten four lengths. But Go Between followed that effort up with a comfortable 1 ¾-length win in the $1 million Virginia Derby (gr. IIT), also run at Colonial Downs, last month. Go Between has not been off the board in eight lifetime turf starts. Three of those races resulted in victory. Go Between, to be ridden from post three by Garrett Gomez, is the second choice in the morning line at 5-2.
Famed Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien will be represented in the Secretariat by Ivan Denisovich, owned by Magnier, Tabor, et al. By Danehill out of Hollywood Wildcat, Ivan Denisovich is a half-brother to 2000 Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) winner War Chant. He was one of the most fancied 2-year-olds in Europe last year, but so far this year, Ivan Denisovich has been blanked in four tries. The Secretariat will represent Ivan Denisovich's second trip to the United States. The first resulted in a 12th place finish in last year's $1.5 million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) on the dirt at Belmont Park. He drew post position five and will be ridden by John Velazquez, a late substitution for regular rider Kieren Fallon.
Another foreign invader is Primary, winner of the listed Gran Premio d'Italia last time out on June 17 after earlier registering three turf victories in Great Britain. The William J. Haggas trainee will be depart from post four under hot Arlington jockey Robby Albarado.
$400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT), 3-Year-Olds, Race 11, 5:58 p.m.), 1 1/4 Miles (Turf)PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Showing Up (KY), 126, Cornelio H. Velasquez
2. Proudinsky (GER), 119, Edgar S. Prado
3. Go Between (FL), 123, Garrett K. Gomez
4. Primary (KY), 119, Robby Albarado
5. Ivan Denisovich (IRE), 119, John Velazquez
6. Niagara Causeway (KY), 119, Christopher A. Emigh
