ARLINGTON: FLYING SCOTSMAN RETURNS IN GIII AMERICAN DERBY

By Grant LaGrange —-

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (July 11, 2019) –

Flying Scotsman, who will be making his 3-year-old debut and hasn’t been seen since winning the GIII Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar last summer, will be looking to make his 2019 season debut a winning one. The GIII American Derby will be run at 1 1/16th-miles on the Arlington turf course and is one of three graded stakes on the Saturday card.

A homebred for Calumet Farm, Flying Scotsman has won two of his three career races, with his first start against winners being a victory in graded stakes company. Since last November, the 3-year-old son of English Channel has moved to the barn of Jack Sisterson who will stretch Flying Scotsman out to 1 1/16th-miles for the first time in his young career,

“I think he could go six or seven furlongs, or go a mile and a quarter,” Sisterson said. “He’s such a versatile horse and has a really high cruising speed. He can get himself into the race and relax. He has a ton of talent and I’m really looking forward to seeing him perform on Saturday.”

Flying Scotsman drew post 11 of 13, and will be ridden by Flavien Prat.

Fareway Kitten, a 3-year-old son of Kittens Joy, will be looking to make it two in a row after his victory in the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby last time out at Canterbury Park. Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Fareway Kitten will also be aiming for his first graded stakes victory in what could be a statement win for much of the group who will go to post on Saturday. So far in his eight race career he has earned $237,000, which gives him the highest career earnings in this field. In his first spin around the Arlington turf course, Fareway Kitten will break from post 3 and will be ridden by Adam Beschizza for trainer Mike Maker.

Crafty Daddy, who defeated Farewat Kitten in their meeting at Churchill Downs in a $100,000 Allowance optional-claiming event, will also be looking to take a step forward and prove himself in graded stakes company. The 3-year-old son of Scat Daddy has rattled off three straight victories dating back to his maiden breaking score at Fair Grounds when he came from out of the clouds to sweep by the field of fourteen that day. He has followed that effort up with two straight victories against allowance company at Keenland and Churchill Downs. Owned by Lucky Seven Stable, Crafty Daddy owns a victory going the 1 1/16th-miles distance and has scored all three of his victories over the turf course. He will break from post 12 on Saturday and will be ridden by Florent Geroux.

Rounding out the field of thirteen is High Crime (post 1, Julio Felix), War Film (post 2, Miguel Mena), Strong Will (post 4, Chris Emigh), Bundibunan (post 5, Jose Valdivia Jr.), Another Mystery (post 6, Carlos Marquez Jr.), Cornstarch (post 7, Edgar Perez), Rhythmia (post 8, Carlos Ulloa), The Last Zip (post 9, Drayden Van Dyke), Mick’s Star (post 10, Jermaine Bridgmohan) and Conative (post 13, Mitchell Murill).

The GIII American Derby is the final graded stakes race on the day, carded as race eight on the Saturday program. Estimated post time is at 5:19 PM CDT.