Indygo Shiner Heads Arlington Classic

Indygo Shiner heads a field of eight 3-year-olds who will face the starter Saturday in the $200,000 Arlington Classic (gr. II) over nine furlongs on the grass. The race represents the first leg of the Mid-America Triple, a series that will continue with the American Derby (gr. II) July 23 and the Secretariat (gr. I) August 18.

A son of 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, Indygo Shiner captured the Jefferson Cup Stakes last out at Churchill Downs June 9. He is owned by Jane and F. Lyon and Lacombe Racing Stable, and is conditioned by Elliott Walden, who saddled Hawk Attack to win the 1995 Arlington Classic. Indygo Shiner ran well to finish fourth in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico in May.

Cherokee Kim ships in from California for trainer Jerry Fanning off a fifth-place finish in the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Hollywood Park. Past winners of the Arlington Classic include such luminaries as Gallant Fox, Omaha, Native Dancer, Nashua, Buckpasser, Dr. Fager, Alydar, Lost Code, and Saint Ballado.

The field, with jockeys and weights for the 67th running of the Arlington Classic: Fan Club's Mister (Randy Meier, 121), Curlew Flyer (T. Thulliez, 116), Monsieur Cat (Rene Douglas, 116), Rahy's Secret (Tim Doocy, 116), Baptize (Mark Guidry, 121), Bahroba (Marlon St. Julien, 116), Cherokee Kim (Frank Alvarado, 116), and Indygo Shiner (Lonnie Meche, 121).