NEWS
Just as Well makes the grade in Arlington Handicap
Posted: Saturday, July 11, 2009 8:18 PM
JUST AS WELL
FourFootedFotos.com
To view the Arlington Handicap, click here.
by Ron Parker
Owner-trainer Jonathan Shepherd’s Just as Well, making his fifth consecutive graded stakes start, proved to be the best of a dozen runners in the $200,000 Arlington Handicap (G3) at Arlington Park on Saturday, charging home for a one-length victory.
Just as Well was last in the early running as Public Speaker, Ordination (Ire), and 2.30-to-1 favorite Cosmonaut dueled for command in the 1¼-mile turf contest.
Still tenth after six furlongs, the six-year-old A.P. Indy horse was sent around the field by jockey E. T. Baird and drove relentlessly down the lane for the victory, stopping the timer in 2:02.84 on the firm turf course.
Gentleman Chester rallied late for second, a neck clear of Cosmonaut, who won the Arlington Handicap in 2006 and ’07 and finished second last year.
Just as Well came into the race off a second-place finish to Parading in the Dixie Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course on May 16 and is enjoying a campaign that also includes second to Kip Deville in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) and third in the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (G1) at Keeneland race Course.
Bred in Kentucky by Augustin Stable, Just as Well posted his fourth win from 17 career starts while increasing his earnings to $360,325.
He is out of the Grade 1-winning Nureyev mare No Matter What and is a half brother to European champion Rainbow View and Grade 3 winner Winter View.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
