Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes: Thursday, June 22

By Bailey Gallison —-

• Stidham Considering Modesty for Zipessa
• Arlington Stakes Winners Eye Million Preview Day

STIDHAM CONSIDERING MODESTY FOR ZIPESSA

Empyrean Stables’ Grade III-winner Zipessa could make her next start at Arlington International Racecourse on July 8 for Million Preview Day, according to trainer Mike Stidham. The 5-year-old daughter of City Zip is nominated to the Grade III $100,000 Modesty Handicap, a turf event for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward run over 1 3/16 miles that will award the top three finishers entry into the Grade I Beverly D. on August 12 with starting fees waived. Zipessa’s 2017 seasonal debut came earlier this year when fifth in the Grade II Sheepshead Bay Stakes at Belmont Park on May 6. She improved to finish third in her most recent start, the Grade III Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 3, when she took the lead in the stretch but was caught late.

“The first race we brought her back in ended up being really soft turf that day in New York,” said Stidham. “It got bad real quick late and we took a shot, but I think the soft turf caused her to run so poorly in her first start back. That race [at Monmouth] came up tougher than we expected – the Chad Brown filly that won it looks like she could be any kind. It was a pretty good race.”

Zipessa did not run in the Modesty last year, instead capturing the Grade III Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes at Parx Racing on July 4 en route to her third-place finish in the 2016 Beverly D. Zipessa went on the finish second in the Grade I Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita Park before ending the season with a fifth in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

“She came out of her last race at Monmouth in good shape,” said Stidham. “We are looking seriously at the Modesty. We nominated her to a few different spots [across the country]. Santa Anita and Del Mar are both possibilities for her. If we run in the Modesty we may consider Del Mar after. If it looks like she’s up to the task we would love to try Breeders’ Cup again.”

ARLINGTON STAKES WINNERS EYE MILLION PREVIEW DAY

The Grade III $100,000 Arlington Handicap on Million Preview Day has attracted interest from 2017 Arlington International Racecourse stakes winners Crewman (Grade III Hanshin Cup on May 11) and Oak Brook (Black Tie Affair Handicap on June 17). The 1 3/16-miles turf event on July 8 offers the top three finishers an entry into the Grade I Arlington Million on August 12 with starting fees waived.

Crewman, who earned trainer Dee Poulos her first graded stakes win when winning the Hanshin Cup by a neck over Arlington’s main track, came back to run off the board at Canterbury Park in the Mystic Lake Mile on the grass behind fellow Arlington Handicap nominee Hay Dakota. The 6-year-old gelding’s best finishes over the turf at Chicagoland oval came in the summer of 2015 when he finished second and third in back-to-back mile races.

Brian Williamson-trainee Oak Brook upset the Black Tie Affair Handicap with his three-quarters length win over Cammack, also one of the 14 horses nominated to the Arlington Handicap. It was just the second start of the season for Oak Brook, and his first win against stakes company. The 5-year-old gelding previously finished second in the Woodchopper Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots over a muddy dirt track in December 2015.