ARLINGTON: GHOST HUNTER UPSETS GRADE III ARLINGTON HANDICAP

By Brian Spencer —-

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill (July 8, 2017) – The 82nd running of the Grade III $100,000 Arlington Handicap ended with an exciting upset as Triple K Stables’ Jamie Ness-trained Ghost Hunter held off Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s Oak Brook down the stretch at Arlington International Racecourse, with Wimborne Farm’s late-running Ignacio Correas-trainee Kasaqui (Arg) settling for third in the final stages. The Arlington Handicap was one of four Grade III stakes offered on Saturday’s Ride to the Million card presented by Miller Lite.

Trainer Brian Williamson’s Oak Brook sat second under Santo Sanjur behind the pace-setting Crewman as the winner of the Grade III Hanshin Cup set fraction of 23.71, 48.61, and 1:14.43 in the opening stages. Edwin Gonzalez waited another length back in third aboard Ghost Hunter, keeping the son of Ghostzapper in a ground-saving position along the rail as they turned for home. Oak Brook took the lead as the field hit the stretch in 1:38.86 and continued on strongly, but Ghost Hunter found an opening inside and headed the Black Tie Affair Handicap winner late, gaining the advantage by three-quarters of a length at the wire. The final time for the 1 3/16 miles turf stake was 1:55.86.

“I think my decision to go inside was the right one,” said Gonzalez. “I was trying to decide – if I went outside it would use too much – and then the door opened and I took it.”

“He’s very versatile,” said Ness about his new graded-stakes winner. “His best surface is probably Polytrack, and he’s a horse who tends to find trouble, but today we found the rail and got through and got the ‘W.’”

“My horse broke pretty good, so I stayed second behind [Crewman],” said Sanjur. “In the last part my horse floored it. He’s a comfortable horse, you can do whatever you want and he’ll give you everything he’s got.”

Defending winner Kasaqui was second-to-last for much of the early running under James Graham, made up ground on the turn heading for home, but came up a head short of Oak Brook at the wire in third.

“Today wasn’t his best race but he finished fine,” said Graham. “I probably waited a little longer than I wanted to, but I would rather save and wait a little bit more because they were running so slow I knew they were going to sprint the rest of the way.”

Securing his 18th win in 46 career starts, Ghost Hunter boosted his lifetime earnings to $633,523 with the winner’s share of $58,200. Ghost Hunter returned $26, $10 and $4.80 to his backers. Oak Brook paid $32 and $11.20, while betting favorite Kasaqui paid $2.60. The all-longshot Exacta returned $326.30 for a $1 wager.

Manitoulin, Taghleeb, Cammack, Crewman and Sir Dudley Digges completed the order of finish. Applicator was scratched in favor of a run in the Grade III Stars and Stripes.

GRADE III ARLINGTON HANDICAP QUOTES

Edwin Gonzalez (jockey, Ghost Hunter, winner): “I think my decision to go inside was the right one. I was trying to decide – if I went outside it would use too much – and then the door opened and I took it.”

Jamie Ness (trainer, Ghost Hunter, winner): “He’s very versatile. His best surface is probably Polytrack, and he’s a horse who tends to find trouble, but today we found the rail and got through and got the ‘W.’”

Santo Sanjur (jockey, Oak Brook, 2nd): “My horse broke pretty good, so I stayed second behind [Crewman]. In the last part my horse floored it. He’s a comfortable horse, you can do whatever you want and he’ll give you everything he’s got.”

James Graham (jockey, Kasaqui, 3rd): “Today wasn’t his best race but he finished fine. I probably waited a little longer than I wanted to, but I would rather save and wait a little bit more because they were running so slow I knew they were going to sprint the rest of the way.”

KEYSTONEFORVICTORY MAKES THE GRADE IN STARS AND STRIPES

It was with a strong, sustained bid that Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s homebred Keystoneforvictory ran down Midwest Thoroughbreds’ The Pizza Man in the late stages of the Grade III $100,000 Stars and Stripes at Arlington International Racecourse to win the 86th edition for trainer Mike Maker.

Under Julien Leparoux, the 4-year-old colt by Kitten’s Joy trailed a pacesetting Belomor (Carlos Marquez, Jr.) by almost a dozen lengths up the backstretch of the 1½-miles turf event while the frontrunner kicked clear in splits of 25.24, 49.80, 1:15.75, and 1:38.93. Florent Geroux, aboard Roger Brueggemann’s 2015 Grade I Arlington Million winner, kept The Pizza Man in position to tackle the tiring leader as they turned for home in 2:05.32, hit the front briefly in the stretch but had to settle for second, 1½ lengths behind the winner With a strong finish down the middle of the turf course in the final eighth, Keystoneforvictory stopped the clock in 2:29.89.

“It set up perfect for us,” said Leparoux. “A couple of horses on the lead, and my horse relaxed. We had a perfect race.”

“He’s a pretty easy horse to train,” said Maker after the race. “He’s a win machine.”

“He felt good,” said Geroux, who was riding The Pizza Man back for the first time in seven starts. “Turning for home I thought I was going to get the win, but [Keystoneforvictory] just ran him down the last eighth of a mile. He ran great, I think he’s improved on his last race and I think he’s moving in the right direction. He’s a little bit older now and it might take him a bit longer to get to his top form.”

Olympia Star, Inc.’s Mikhail Yanakov trainee Applicator settled along the rail under Jose Valdivia Jr., tracked between the two favorites while saving ground throughout and rallied for third a head behind The Pizza Man.

“Couldn’t ask for a better trip,” said Valdivia. “I had a dream trip on the inside and he hesitated a little bit which might’ve been the difference between second and third, but nonetheless very happy with the placing.”

Keystoneforvictory won for the eighth time in 15 career starts while landing his first graded stakes win, bringing his bankroll to $307,590 with the winner’s share of $57,600. He paid $5.80, $2.80 and $2.60. The Pizza Man returned $2.60 and $2.40, while Applicator paid $3.60.

One Go All Go, Belomor, Flashy Chelsey, Bodhisattva, Mongol G, and Feodor completed the order of finish.

GRADE III STARS AND STRIPES QUOTES

Julien Leparoux (jockey, Keystoneforvictory, winner): “It set up perfect for us. A couple of horses on the lead, and my horse relaxed. We had a perfect race.”

Mike Maker (trainer, Keystoneforvictory, winner): “He’s a pretty easy horse to train. He’s a win machine.”

Florent Geroux (jockey, The Pizza Man, 2nd): “He felt good, turning for home I thought I was going to get the win, but the one horse just ran him down the last eighth of a mile. He ran great, I think he’s improved on his last race and I think he’s moving in the right direction. He’s a little bit older now and it might take him a bit longer to get to his top form.”

Jose Valdivia, Jr. (jockey, Applicator, 3rd): “Couldn’t ask for a better trip. I had a dream trip on the inside and he hesitated a little bit which might’ve been the difference between second and third, but nonetheless very happy with the placing.”