By Pete Spanos
A small but strong field of seven 3-year-olds passed the entry box at Arlington Park Wednesday--drawn for a shot at the purse in Saturday's running of the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT). The turf clumps are set to fly as Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's stalker Kitten's Joy lines up from the rail as the 8-5 morning line choice. The son of El Prado retains the services of Jerry Bailey who guided him to three straight grade III turf wins in the beginning of the year.Sent out for the Ramseys by trainer Dale Romans, the Kentucky-bred Kitten's Joy is just one head away from notching seven straight, narrowly losing the Jefferson Cup (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs on June 12 to Prince Arch. He boasts a win at the 11/4-mile distance in the Virginia Derby (gr. III-T) on July 10. The connections lose red-hot rider Edgar Prado, who guided Roses in May to victory in last Saturday's Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga. Prado will have his hands full with Peter G. Angelos' Greek Sun, the Bobby Frankel-trained son of Danzig who sports a perfect three-for-three win record--his most recent in a rallying two-length score in the Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park on June 26.Bred in Kentucky by E. K. Gaylord II and Cheyenne Stables, Greek Sun is the morning line's 3-1 second choice, and stretches out to 10 furlongs for the first time and will head out from post three.The top two will have to contend with Moyglare Stud Farm's Irish invader Simple Exchange, a neck winner and stakes record-holder of the American Derby (gr. II-T) at Arlington in his last start on July 24. World-class conditioner Dermot K. Weld and rider Patrick Smullen will send the Celtic colt by Danehill out from the far outside in the seven-hole.European visitor Hazy View, by Cape Cross, arrives from Great Britain and will start near the rail in the second spot. He shortens up from the 1 1/2-mile Vodafone Epsom Derby (Eng-I) that got the best of him June 5 when he finished eighth.Trainer Neville A. Callaghan and rider Frankie Dettori will take Hazy View out for owner Thomas Mohan as the 9-2 third choice.Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Manier's Moscow Ballet, a son of Sadler's Wells, will run for trainer Aidan O'Brien with Jamie Spencer aboard from the six spot.David Garner's Cool Conductor, by Stravinsky, under the care of Bill Mott and Pat Day, and long-shot local hopeful Up Anchor, by Polish Navy, will run for trainer Paul McGee and jockey Rene Douglas to round out the field.Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT), 3-year-olds, 1 1/4 miles, $400,000, Saturday, Aug. 14 -- Approx. Post Time 5:53 CDTPP -- Horse, Jockey, Morning Line
1 -- Kitten's Joy, Jerry Bailey, 8-5
2 -- Hazy View, Frankie Dettori, 9-2
3 -- Greek Sun, Edgar Prado, 3-1
4 -- Up Anchor, Rene Douglas, 30-1
5 -- Cool Conductor, Pat Day, 6-1
6 -- Moscow Ballet, Jamie Spencer, 5-1
7 -- Simple Exchange, Patrick Smullen, 6-1
Crown Royal American Turf winners Kitten's Joy and Jerry Bailey team again for Saturday's Secretariat Stakes.
Anne M. Eberhardt