Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes

By Bailey Gallison —-

BLOCK EYES GRADE III AMERICAN DERBY FOR CAPTIVATING MOON

Following a runner-up effort in the Grade II American Turf Stakes on Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Derby undercard last Saturday, Lothenbach Stables’ Captivating Moon will likely bypass the Grade III $100,000 Arlington Classic on May 26 and target the Grade III $100,000 American Derby on July 7, according to trainer Chris Block.

In last Saturday’s race, which was contested over a yielding turf course, the 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon sat well off of a moderate pace under the guidance of jockey Florent Geroux and closed late down the top of the stretch to finish just 1½ lengths behind Maraud and dead heated for place with graded stakes winner Untamed Domain. Prior to this effort Captivating Moon finished second against stakes company in Tampa Bay Downs’ Columbia Stakes on March 10 and the Grade III Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland on April 6 behind undefeated two-time graded stakes winner Analyze It.

“I think it’s too quick back,” Block said of the Arlington Classic. “He’s a little tired from the race last Saturday because the turf was so boggy. I think he probably gutted it out more than liked the surface and it knocked him down a little bit. I will probably by pass that race and run in the American Derby.”

Block also listed the Grade I $1,200,000 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 7 as an option for Captivating Moon.

“We’ll nominate to both races,” Block said. “We’ll probably make the decision once we see what’s out there. I’d like to stay home and try to run him here and maybe back in the Secretariat if he’s good enough to be there, but we’ll see how he goes from there. He needs a freshener He’s run three races in three months.”

Captivating Moon is out of the Valid Appeal broodmare Appealing Storm who produced Grade I-winning millionaire Vacare, as well as stakes winners Single Solution and Nobody’s Fault.