Godolphin Racing's coupling of Sharp Impact and Anasheed headline a field of 10 2-year-olds in Saturday's grade III $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park.
The one-turn one-mile Futurity is traditionally the meet's main objective for the freshmen set, but this year the Futurity becomes a prep for the grade I Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile to be contested at 1 1/8 mile a mile on Oct. 26.
Also, any horse who wins Saturday's local Futurity and the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile is awarded an additional $250,000 as part of the Bessemer Trust Two-Year-Old Challenge. The Futurity will be televised by CNBC on a tape-delay basis beginning at 7 p.m. Central time.
Of the Godolphin pair, Sharp Impact is the more accomplished at the present time although Anasheed may be better suited to handle the mile Futurity route. A son of Siphon, Sharp Impact is a perfect two for two in his brief career. Last time out, the Eoin Harty trainee pressed the early pace, took the lead in the stretch and was drawing off when capturing the six-furlong $75,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes by three-quarters of a length on Sept. 7.
Anasheed, by A.P. Indy, showed improvement when stretched to a mile for his second start after failing as the choice in his debut at 4 1/2 furlongs. Most recently, he broke his maiden after angling out six wide in the lane to prevail by a length and a half when again going a mile here Aug. 18..
Ray Sibille has the mount aboard Sharp Impact while Robby Albarado will handle the reins astride Anasheed.
Michael E. Pegram's Echeverria, by Awesome Again, comes into the Futurity after finishing second by a length and a quarter in the $100,000 James C. Ellis Park Juvenile last month. Previously, the Bob Baffert charge won a pair of races at the Western Kentucky oval. Arlington Park's leading jockey, Rene Douglas, picks up the riding assignment.
K.K. & Vilasini Jayaraman's Comic Truth carries a two-race win skein into the Futurity. The Ken McPeek-trained son of Proudest Romeo captured the $40,000 Pioneer Stakes at Louisiana Downs and $50,000 Lafayette Stakes at Evangeline Downs in his last two trips to the post. Jose Martinez Jr. is slated for the tack.
Tom R. Durant's Most Feared invades from Monmouth Park for the Futurity. The son of Commanchero, trained by Ronny Werner, was a 9 1/2-length victor in the $50,000 Continental Mile Stakes at the Jersey Shore oval after breaking his maiden there the previous month. Two-time Arlington Park riding champion Mark Guidry will be in the saddle.
The field, in post order:
Comic Truth, Jose R. Martinez, Jr.
Unleash the Power, Earlie Fires
Worker Man, Corey J. Lanerie
Sharp Impact, Ray Sibille
Payforaday, Larry Taylor
Boston Park, Pat Day
Echeverria, Rene R. Douglas
Most Feared, Mark Guidry
Anasheed, Robby Albarado
Alpler, Curt C. Bourque
