Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes: Saturday, May 20

By Bailey Gallison —-

STAKES WINNERS SEEK STEP UP IN GRADE III ARLINGTON CLASSIC

The 82nd running of the Grade III $100,000 Arlington Classic, a 1 1/16-miles event for 3-year-olds on the turf on May 27, garnered 25 nominations from 16 trainers at closing on Wednesday. Mike Maker tops the list with five, including Grade III-placed Shiraz. The colt by Tale of the Cat finished third in the 7½-furlong Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park to begin his 2017 season. Another Maker probable is Gorgeous Kitten, who picked up a win over the grass at Keeneland last month after finishing a close third in the Rushaway Stakes on the Polytrack at Turfway Park March 15.

Bill Mott and Brad Cox each have three nominated. Keith Gee Memorial Overnight Stakes winner Cowboy Culture finished off the board in his last two graded-stakes tries, but the third time could be charm for the Quality Road colt. Royal by Nature (IRE), also from the Cox barn, finished second behind fellow nominee Frostmourne in the Awad Stakes last October at Belmont Park. Royal by Nature only has one start on his resume this season, but the colt by Myboycharlie (IRE) has been working steadily at Churchill Downs, including two recent drills on the grass.

Stakes-winner Frostmourne is the lone nominee for trainer Christophe Clement. After capping his 2-year-old season with a win in the Awad Stakes, the son of Speightstown returned in the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct last month to finish second by half a length in the 1 1/16-miles event on the grass.