(Chart, Equibase)
Richard L. Duchossois' homebred Apt to Be took the lead turning for home and drew off for an easy seven-length score in the $100,000 Hanshin Cup Sunday (gr. III) at Arlington Park. Eusebio Razo rode the Chris Block-trained son of Rahy, who covered the mile in a meet's best 1:34 2/5. The Hanshin Cup is the second straight stakes score for Apt to Be, who previously captured the $46,800 Dr. Fager Stakes, also at one mile, here June 7. The 6-year-old gelding earned $60,000 to boost his bankroll to $327,497 from a record of eight wins, seven seconds and four thirds in 23 starts. He's seven-for-10 now at Arlington and six-of-eight at the mile distance."He loves this one turn mile here at Arlington," Block said. "I'm not afraid of anybody out of the chute here because he loves it. He settles for Eddie (Razo) and gathers momentum on the turn and gives us a big push down the lane. After he won the last time, I decided we were going to run (in the Hanshin) unless there was a monster that came in from out of town. I thought we had a big shot if the race set up the way I hoped it would." There's Zealous set the pace in the race through fractions of 23.49, 45.61 and 1:09.01 before being overtaken by Apt to Be at the top of the stretch. He was all out to hold second from the fast-closing San Pedro, who finished third in the seven-horse field. "He ran fantastically," said Ray Sibille of There's Zealous. "He settled nice. I felt I was going easy. The fractions were pretty quick but these are pretty good horses. My horse ran his race." Apt to Be paid $9.80, $4.80 and $4.20. There's Zealous returned $7.60 and $7.60. San Pedro paid $6.80. Ask the Lord, Bonus Pack, Bright Valour and R. Baggio completed the order of finish.
