Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes

By Ryan Martin —-

Toner Ponders Arlington Graded Stakes for Hawkish, Manitoulin
• Dona Bruja Targets Grade I Beverly D. Again
• Princess La Quinta Goes for Second Graded Stakes Victory in Chicago Handicap

TONER PONDERS ARLINGTON GRADED STAKES FOR HAWKISH, MANITOULIN

Recent solid efforts against graded stakes company from Hawkish and Manitoulin has trainer Jimmy Toner thinking that a trip to Arlington International Racecourse in August is a possibility for both horses.

Owned by Robert LaPenta, AJ Suited Racing Stable and Madaket Stables, the 3-year-old son of Artie Schiller was a three-length winner of the Grade II Penn Mile last time out on June 2. Hawkish sat off the pace in the Penn Mile and began making his winning move around the far turn. Although a little bit green coming down the stretch, he was much the best and won decisively.

Hawkish was a first out maiden winner this winter at Gulfstream Park where he defeated eventual graded stakes winner Funny Duck. Two starts later he defeated winners in a first level allowance race over the turf at Aqueduct.

Hawkish will make his next start in the Grade I $1,200,000 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 7 and based off of his performance in that start, Toner will decide if he will ship for the Grade I $400,000 Secretariat Stakes.

“He’s come back very well,” Toner said. “He has trained well since (the Penn Mile) and he breezes back on Sunday. We’re looking forward to stretching him out.”

In his first breeze since the Penn Mile, he covered a half-mile in 48.09 over the inner turf at Belmont Park on June 17. Hawkish is out of the Unbridled mare Bridal Memories, the daughter of the 1997 Beverly D. winner Memories of Silver who also was trained by Toner.

Meanwhile, Darby Dan Farm Racing’s Manitoulin is a possibility for the Grade I $1,000,000 Arlington Million after finishing a game fourth in the Grade I Manhattan Handicap on June 9. The 5-year-old son of Awesome Again hit the gate at the start of the Manhattan and was just off the pace while being patiently ridden by jockey Mike Smith. Manitoulin battled down the top of the stretch but was unable to hold off a devastating move from eventual winner Spring Quality.

Manitoulin made his seasonal bow in the Grade III Fort Marcy Handicap at Belmont Park on May 5, where he ran sixth.

“He was about 55-feet wide (in the Manhattan Handicap),” Toner said. “I’ve freshened him up; he came back good and the first race wasn’t bad. It was a little shorter than he likes to run. In the Manhattan, he ran well but he just had a wide trip. There wasn’t but a couple lengths separating the entire field at the finish that day.”

Manitoulin ran fourth in last year’s Grade III Arlington Handicap following a pair of allowance triumphs over the lawn at Keeneland and Belmont Park. He capped off his campaign last year with a graded stakes victory in the Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on November 24.

The pedigree of Manitoulin is one that Toner is quite familiar with as he trained his dam Soaring Softly – an Eclipse Award-winning daughter of Kris S. who won the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in 1999 at Gulfstream Park.

“He’s got the same attitude that she does,” Toner said. “He’s probably more like her than any of the other foals out of her that I’ve had He’s big and rough and nasty just like his mom.”

Like Hawkish, Manitoulin will race once before the Million if he opts to go. This would likely take place in the Grade II $250,000 Bowling Green Handicap on July 28 at Saratoga Race Course.

DONA BRUJA TARGETS GRADE I BEVERLY D. AGAIN

Dom Felipe’s Dona Bruja (ARG) finished a half-length behind Dacita (CHI) in last year’s edition of the Grade I $600,000 Beverly D. Handicap at Arlington International Racecourse and will be back for another shot at the 1 3/16 event this year, according to trainer Ignacio Correas, IV.

The 6-year-old daughter of Storm Embrujado (ARG) joined Correas’ contingent last year following a Group 1 victory in her native Argentina. She made her American debut a winning one in the Grade III Old Forester Mint Julep Handicap at Churchill Downs before shipping to Arlington to take the Grade III Modesty Handicap.

“She’s doing well,” Correas said. “She had a foot problem; that’s why she was out for a while, but now she’s fully recovered and doing well so we’re looking forward to (the Beverly D.). She always runs very well when she’s fresh.”

In her most recent effort, Dona Bruja finished fifth as the lukewarm favorite against a highly contentious field in the Grade I Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland, which was won by Sistercharlie (IRE). She went to the lead while setting moderate fractions over a firm going, but faltered at the top of the stretch.

“I didn’t expect to see her on the lead,” Correas said. “We’re going to go back to her style, so we’re going to let her sit back and make a big run at the end.”

In her start prior to the Jenny Wiley, Dona Bruja won her seasonal bow in wire-to-wire fashion, which took place in the Grade III Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs

Correas went on to state that Arlington allowance winner Real Story and Grade III Arlington Classic runner-up Pont Du Guard will both point to the Grade III $100,000 American Derby at Ride to the Million, presented by Miller Lite on July 7.

PRINCESS LA QUINTA GOES FOR SECOND GRADED STAKES VICTORY IN GRADE III CHICAGO HANDICAP

Trainer James Gulick enjoyed a hot start to Arlington International Racecourse’s 2018 meet, which was highlighted by his first graded stakes victory in the Grade III Arlington Matron with Princess La Quinta. On Saturday, the 4-year-old daughter of leading graded stakes winning sire Quality Road will look to add to Gulick’s prosperous meet in the Grade III $100,000 Chicago Handicap.

Owned by Al Moorhouse in partnership with Gulick, Princess La Quinta will be going for a perfect 3-for-3 record this meet. In addition to the Arlington Matron, she won an allowance event on opening day defeating stakes winners School Board Prez and Bet She Wins.

“We’re certainly hopeful and looking forward to it, that’s for sure,” Gulick said. “I can’t imagine anything better this weekend. She’s doing really well. We were hopeful that she certainly belonged in (the Arlington Matron) and we expected a good performance. To predict they’re going to win is hard to do. She’s healthy and doing well and I expect her to perform well. That’s kind of the way I went into the last one. Obviously there are a lot more horses and we’re cutting back to one turn, but we’ll see what she does.”

Princess La Quinta has won four races in 18 career starts, all four of her victories took place over Arlington’s all-weather surface. She will break form post five as the 4-1 second choice and will receive riding services from Sophie Doyle.