Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes: Saturday, July 29

By Bailey Gallison —-

POSTULATION POINTING TOWARD AMERICAN ST. LEGER

Runnymede Racing LLC’s Postulation, the six-length winner of the Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park on July 8, will target the Grade III American St. Leger at Arlington International Racecourse for his next start according to trainer Edward Graham. The 5-year-old son of Harlan’s Holiday led from gate to wire of the 1½-miles turf event, which was his second try at that distance after failing to menace in the Grade III Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland last October.

“When he ran at Keeneland, Trevor [McCarthy] told me after that he should keep him closer next time, that the horse fought him too much,” said Graham. “When Alex [Cintron] rode him [in the Cape Henlopen], he just let him go to the front, and he had enough to kick away in the end. He likes to be close to the action.”

Bred in Kentucky by Juddmonte Farms, Postulation began his racing career in Ireland before being transferred to the United States and purchased by Runnymede Racing LLC. The gelding has faced Arlington Handicap winner and likely Million contender Ghost Hunter three times and lost, but it has only boosted Graham’s confidence in the gelding tackling the 1 11/16-miles turf stake at Arlington.

“He’s doing great,” said Graham. “Knock on wood, everything will stay on schedule and we’ll head to Chicago.”

Graham will work the gelding twice more prior to his possible start in the American St. Leger. In 2014 Graham used the Cape Henlopen Stakes as a springboard for his Arlington Million contender Hardest Core, who went on to win and earned the trainer his first graded-stakes victory.

LAEL STABLES PONDERS DUO FOR BEVERLY D.

Lael Stables is considering sending two runners for the Grade I Beverly D. at Arlington International Racecourse on Aug. 12 according to racing officials – Chad Brown trainee Rainha Da Bateria as well as Hawksmoor (IRE) from the barn of Arnaud Delacour.

Rainha Da Bateria, purchased following her third-place finish in the Grade I Diana at Saratoga last summer, has earned two Grade II wins on the turf at Woodbine since, including the Dance Smartly earlier this month which ended in a dead-heat for first. The 5-year-old mare by Broken Vow has earned $589,160 in purses but is still chasing the elusive Grade I win for her owners.

Hawksmoor, a 4-year-old filly by 2005 European Champion Older Horse Azamour (IRE), narrowly missed out on a Grade I victory last October when finishing third a neck behind winner Time and Motion in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Since returning from a winter break in May, the filly has secured back-to-back wins at Belmont Park in the Grade III Beaugay Stakes and the Grade II New York Stakes under jockey Julien Leparoux to remain perfect in her 2017 season. Hawksmoor has hit the board in 10 of her 13 career starts, earning herself $693,739 in the process.

The 1 3/16-miles Beverly D. is a “Win and You’re In” event for the Grade I $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4.