Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes

By Bailey Gallison —-

ARLINGTON JOCKEY COLONY FINISHES STRONG

Over the years, Arlington International Racecourse has been a welcoming venue for riders to get their start or make a name for themselves, and that has held true in the 2017 season. Veteran jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr. has put on a clinic, winning over 130 races in 69 days and finishing in the top three placings at a 65% clip on his way to a third leading rider title.

Meanwhile, three other jockeys landed their first career win in North America at the Chicagoland oval this summer. Anthony Nunez, a native of Puerto Rico who rode his first race in January at the Hipodromo Camarero, was aboard his third mount of the meet Let’s Skip Fiji ($29) when he captured his first career win on June 2. Italian-born Sofia Rodriguez brought her riding experience from Maronas Racetrack in Uruguay to Arlington and rode her first North American victory aboard longshot Bartbaalu ($53.60) on June 23.

On an expedition to expand his riding repertoire came Australia’s Blake Shinn. The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey arrived in June for a five-week working holiday during which he trained in Maryland and worked horses for Wesley Ward at Belmont Park and Keeneland. Shinn secured his first North American win aboard the Arlington Racing Club’s Brisson ($5) on June 17, and returned home with a total of 11 wins from 74 mounts.

Apprentice jockey Carlos Ulloa rode his first winner at Hawthorne in November, but it was this summer at Arlington that he earned his 40thvictory aboard Briar’s Gold ($13.40) on July 1 to reduce his weight allowance to five pounds. Out for eight weeks of the season with a broken collarbone, the native of Puerto Rico returned on Sept. 14 to win with his first mount back Away She Glows ($13).

The race for second in the jockey standings will likely come down to the wire between Santo Sanjur and Chris Emigh, who each have over 50 wins. Both riders have earned over $1 million in purses this season, and Emigh, who has won more than 3,800 career races, earned his 1,000th win at Arlington aboard Baltic Star ($15) on July 2.

THE TABULATOR FIRST ON ROAD TO KENTUCKY DERBY 2017

Carolyn Wilson’s The Tabulator took his show to Churchill Downs last weekend to compete in the Grade III $150,000 Iroquois on Sept. 13 for trainer Larry Rivelli. After winning his debut sprinting over the Polytrack at Arlington International Racecourse on July 2, The Tabulator captured the Prairie Gold Juvenile Stakes at Prairie Meadows on July 28 going six furlongs. The 2-year-old son of Dialed In handled the 1 1/16 miles of the Iroquois just fine when besting nine other juveniles by three-quarters of a length under Arlington’s leading rider Jose Valdivia, Jr.

“It’s always exciting to get a win [at] Churchill Downs,” said Valdivia. “He’s still young as we know but now he’s proven around two turn. With this being the kickoff for the ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’ and a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In,’ it’s very exciting to have a horse of this quality.”

“I’ve never had a horse start off like this and I’ve been in the game for more than 15 years,” said Wilson. “Larry [Rivelli] is a wonderful trainer. He and his entire team do such a great job with our horses and it’s so exciting to have a horse like this. It’s really easy when I just write a check and this happens.”

With the win, his third in three career starts, the colt has earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and an automatic berth into the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Rivelli said the colt will ship to Del Mar on Oct. 22 for the Breeders’ Cup.