Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes

By Bailey Gallison —-

KASAQUI, DONA BRUJA TAKE AIM ON ARLINGTON’S GRADED STAKES

Wimborne Farm’s Kasaqui (ARG), winner of the 2016 Grade III $100,000 Arlington Handicap, is on track to try to repeat the effort in this year’s running of the 1 1/16-miles turf stakes in the Ride to the Million presented by Miller Lite on July 8. In his first work since winning the Grade II Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 17, the 7-year-old gelding went a steady five furlongs on the dirt the morning of July 1 at Keeneland in 1:03.0 to the satisfaction of trainer Ignacio Correas.

The Argentine-bred son of Lasting Approval used his victory in the Arlington Handicap last year to prepare for the Grade I Arlington Million, where he finished second by a neck to winner Mondialiste (IRE). The first three finishers of the Arlington Handicap receive entry with starting fees paid into the Arlington Million on Aug. 12, a “Win and You’re In” race for the $4 million Grade I Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“Everything is good,” said Correas after Kasaqui’s work. “As long as the turf doesn’t get a lot of rain, he will run.”

Correas also plans to send out Grade III Mint Julep Handicap winner Dona Bruja (ARG) on Saturday in the Grade III $100,000 Modesty Handicap. Dom Felipe LLC’s 5-year-old daughter of Storm Embrujado (ARG) made her North American debut at Churchill on June 10 when winning the Mint Julep by 1½ lengths. A Group I winner in Argentina last year, Dona Bruja also worked the morning of July 1, covering the five furlongs in a bullet 1:01.20.

“They are at different stages,” Correas said of his two workers. Dona Bruja has only one start this season, while Kasaqui has raced four times already this year in graded stakes. Finishing in the top three of the Modesty would grant Dona Bruja entry with starting fees waived into the Grade I $600,000 Beverly D. on August 12, a “Win and You’re In” race for the Grade I $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Entries for the four graded stakes that make up the July 8 Ride to the Million presented by Miller Lite will be drawn on Wednesday, July 5.

JOCKEY CHRIS EMIGH RECORDS 1,000th WIN AT ARLINGTON INTERNATIONAL RACECOURSE

Jockey Chris Emigh recorded his 1,000th victory at Arlington International Racecourse in a thrilling finish aboard American Star Racing Stable’s Baltic Star in Sunday’s finale. The 46-year-old veteran jockey entered the stretch second behind an open-lengths leader and rallied his mount to close the distance as the crowd’s roar grew with every stride until he hit the wire a nose in front.

“I thought it could set up for me, and down the backside I was singing the song they were singing, ‘Baby Blue,’ or something,” said Emigh. “So I was singing on the backside trying to stay calm. And then I thought I had a little shot, but I knew it would be close. I think I was getting more tired than the horse though. I was trying hard.”

Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, Emigh rode his first graded-stakes winner in 1996 aboard Come On Flip in the Grade III Hawthorne Gold Cup after moving from Louisiana to ride in Chicago. His first Arlington title came in 2006 when he brought home 110 wins in the season, topped by a score in the Grade III Modesty Handicap aboard Chic Dancer. Emigh captured his 3,500th career win in the 2014 Grade III Washington Park Handicap at Arlington aboard Avanzare for trainer Tom Proctor.

“It took a few days longer than I thought it would,” said Emigh. “But it was twenty years of a lot of broken bones, surgeries and fighting for the wins every day – just like how I had to fight for that one and beat one of the best.”

Emigh now has 3,773 total lifetime wins and became only the fifth rider to win 1,000 races at Arlington, joining Earlie Fires, Pat Day, Carlos Silva and Mark Guidry.

Arlington International Racecourse – the Chicago area’s premier Thoroughbred racetrack located in Arlington Heights, Ill. – will run a 71-day meet in 2017 from Friday, May 5 through September 23. Arlington International Racecourse, whose parent company is Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN), also operates 10 off-track, simulcast-wagering facilities in Aurora, Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Waukegan, Villa Park, Rockford, Hodgkins, McHenry, Green Oaks and Orland Hills. Arlington International Racecourse is a proud member of America’s Best Racing. Information on Arlington International Racecourse and Trackside OTB can be found online at www.arlingtonpark.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arlingtonpark and www.facebook.com/tracksideotb, and on Twitter at @Arlington_Park for the latest happenings, @arlingtonracing for the latest racing news and @tracksideotb for all things pertaining to off-track wagering.