The Pizza Man Delivers Sizzler In Arlington Million

THE WEEKEND’S BEST STORIES

August 14th – 16th

The Pizza Man Delivers Sizzler In Arlington Million
Winner of last year’s American St. Leger, The Pizza Man stepped up his game several notches this past Saturday, winning the Gr.1 Arlington Million by a neck.

A field of thirteen, which included Gr.1 United Nations winner and morning-line favorite Big Blue Kitten, along with Slumber and Shining Copper, broke from the starting gate in the thirty-third running of the 1 ¼-mile turf race. 30-1 Shining Copper lead the field the majority of the way, setting even steeper fractions than those of his prior start.

While the Chad Brown-trained speedster was up front, Florent Geroux settled The Pizza Man in mid-pack. On the stretch, 3-1 favorite Big Blue Kitten let out some last minute speed, but it wasn’t enough to outrun The Pizza Man, who had sat just one spot ahead of him most of the race.

The six-year-old gelded winner, by English Channel, is trained by Roger A. Brueggemann and was ridden by multiple graded stakes winning jockey Florent Geroux. Owned by Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., this is The Pizza Man’s third graded stakes win and first Gr.1 win. He currently stands 3-3 this year and has career earnings of $1,458,537 in twenty-three lifetime starts.

Fractions for the race: 46.75, 1:10.84, 1:36.48, and a final time of 2:02.20.

Payouts for the race:
The Pizza Man ————– $13.80 win, $6.80 place, $4.60 show
Big Blue Kitten ————————–$4.00 place, $3.20 show

$2 Exacta → $60.40

 
Shining Copper Hits The Board Again
Five-year-old Shining Copper was wildly underestimated in last month’s running of the Gr.1 United Nations. Going off at 99-1, the gelding set blazing hot fractions (going the ¾’s in 1:11.84) while opening up an eight length lead over the rest of the field. Gamely effort on the stretch allowed him to hold his ground until he was caught by the pack and finished a very respectable fourth.

This Saturday, Shining Copper returned to run another game race for trainer Chad Brown, who staked his claim on the board in several races at Arlington Park. Though not 99-1 this time around, the son of Aragorn (IRE) did go off at 30-1 and returned $11.40 for his third place finish.

 
Beverly D. Stakes Results In Chad Brown Exacta After Disqualification
Saturday’s running of the Gr.1 Beverly D. Stakes resulted in a disqualification for British-bred Secret Gesture after drifting out and impeding Watsdachances, who was later put up by the stewards to win.

Watsdachances, an Irish-bred mare by Diamond Green (FR) and trained by Chad Brown, trailed second to last for the first half of the race before beginning a move that took her and jockey Joe Bravo from eighth to second, finishing 1 ¼ lengths behind Secret Gesture. Euro Charline, piloted by Jose Lezcano, set the early fractions (the half in 47.67), but tired on the stretch and finished fourth.

2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Champion Stephanie’s Kitten, and last year’s runner-up in the Beverly D., finished second once again in the $700,000 race, run on the turf at a distance of 1 3/16-miles. The now six-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy ran mid-pack and gained enough ground to finish second (after disqualification bumped her up from third), by a neck, making it a win/place exacta for her trainer Chad Brown.

Payouts for the race:
Watsdachances (IRE) ————– $19.80 win, $7.20 place, $5.20 show
Stephanie’s Kitten ———————— $4.40 place, $3.40 show
Secret Gesture (GB) ———————————– $4.40 show

$2 Superfecta → $1,561.20

 
Force The Pass Runs Third In Secretariat Stakes
Gr.1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes winner, Force The Pass ran an almost entirely opposing race in the Gr. 1 Secretariat Stakes, this past Saturday. A clean break and rail trip gave the son of Speightstown the upper hand last time out, which was run at the same 1 ¼-mile distance, but the same type of trip was not in the cards at Arlington.

Breaking awkwardly from the gate, Force The Pass trailed the field of seven for the majority of the race and was then encouraged forward by jockey Joel Rosario, but was swung out five-wide and finished third behind winner Highland Reel (IRE) and runner-up Closing Bell.

Final time for the 1 ¼-mile race → 2:02.26.

Highland Reel returned $6.80 for the win; Closing Bell returned $11.20 for place; Force The Pass returned $2.40 for show.

 
Grand Arch Grabs Fourstardave Handicap at The Spa
Six-year-old Grand Arch was victorious in the Gr.2 Fourstardave Handicap, run August 15th at Saratoga. Piloted by Luis Saez, the son of Arch stalked in third, holding off Ironicus (second) and winning by just a neck.

After trainers scratched both Vyjack and Weekend Hideaway, the field of ten narrowed down to eight. Fractions for the race were modestly set by King Kreesa, winner of the Forbidden Apple Stakes in July,  with the half run in 48.30. Final time for the mile-long race → 1:34.65.

The win marks the second graded stakes win for Grand Arch, who stands 4-2-0-0 this year and has career earnings of $1,007,230 in twenty-two lifetime starts. The winning trainer, Brian Lynch.

 
Tapit Filly Runs Well For Asmussen In Adirondack Stakes
Steve Asmussen, the man responsible for training Untapable to three-year-old Eclipse Award honors, is back at it again with another graded stakes winning daughter of Tapit by the name of Just Wicked. The two-year-old grey filly stalked pletcher-trained frontrunner Tonasah, in a field of seven, before taking over in the stretch to win the Gr.2 Adirondack Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths.

Last month, Just Wicked set out in her second career start, breaking her maiden by 1 ¾ lengths against a field of ten. She was piloted by Jose Ortiz and is owned/bred by Ron Winchell.

Todd Pletcher rounded out the exacta with Tonasah finishing second and Delicate Lady in third.

Payouts for the race:
Just Wicked ————– $8.70 win, $3.50 place, $2.60 show
Tonasah ———————— $3.20 place, $2.40 show
Delicate Lady (GB) ————————– $3.00 show

$2 Superfecta → $299.00

 
Keith Desormeaux Edges Out Todd Pletcher In Saratoga Special
Todd Pletcher could not catch a break this weekend, losing both the Gr.2 Adirondack and Gr.2 Saratoga Special after his frontrunners tired mid-way down the stretch.

The 6 ½ furlong Saratoga Special was lead by Pletcher-trained Saratoga Mischief, ridden by Johnny Velazquez. The two-year-old son of Into Mischief, and grandson of Mr. Greeley, went the half in 45.19 before succuming to the consequences of his early speed and finishing second.

Keith Desormeaux-trained Exaggerator had stalked the pace in second and leapt to a victory with Junior Alvarado in the irons. The colt, by Curlin, broke his maiden by a nose just last month at Del Mar for owners Big Chief Racing, LLC. Hammers Vision finished third with jockey Joel Rosario up.

Exaggertor paid $11.40 for the win, $4.10 for place, and $2.60 for show.

 Follow us on Twitter @EverythingEqLLC