NEWS
Country Flavor, Tizaqueena take Arlington stakes
Posted: Saturday, May 29, 2010 8:16 PM
COUNTRY FLAVOR
FourFootedFotos.com
For video of the Hanshin Cup Handicap, click here; for video for the Arlington Matron Handicap, click here.
by Tim Nichols
County Flavor scored a significant upset in the $100,000 Hanshin Cup Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Arlington Park, rolling to three-quarter-length win at 21.20-to-1 odds.
A four-year-old Empire Maker gelding making his stakes debut, Country Flavor pushed the pace before seizing the lead near the quarter pole. He responded to Inez Karlsson’s urging in the lane to pull away from the field and easily hold off a late run by runner-up Tybalt, covering the one-turn mile on the synthetic Polytrack surface in 1:38.16
A Jim Tafel homebred trained by Greg Geier, Country Flavor received a near-perfect trip under Karlsson. Mad Flatter took the lead through fractions of :24.32 and :48.26 through a half-mile, while Country Flavor raced comfortably in second followed by Wildeydsouthernboy and Recapturetheglory.
Country Flavor nudged his head in front at the quarter-pole and capitalized on the ground-saving trip entering the straight as the gelding easily accelerated to the win. Favorite Gran Estreno (Arg) finished third, one length behind Tybalt.
Out of Grade 3 winner Allspice, by Coronado’s Quest, Country Flavor improved to four wins from 13 career starts and earnings of $139,390.
While Country Flavor provided an upset, form held true in the $150,000 Arlington Matron Handicap (G3) as 3.10-to-1 favorite Tizaqueena led from beginning to end to secure her third win in four starts this year.
Jockey E. T. Baird rushed the five-year-old Tiznow mare to the front from post 11 and then dictated the Arlington Matron’s pace. After taking the lead, Tizaqueena led the full field through pedestrian fractions of :25.44, :51.53, and 1:16.62 through six furlongs.
Tizaqueena saved plenty of energy for the stretch drive, where she pulled away to an open lead in the lane and won by two lengths. She covered 1 1/8 miles on the Polytrack surface in 1:53.57.
Tizaqueena won a pair of stakes races at Fair Grounds before finishing fifth in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2) on May 1 in her previous start. Trained by Michael Stidham for owner Darley Stable, Tizaqueena increased her bankroll to $630,118 with her eighth win from 15 career starts.
Bred in Kentucky by Stonerside Stable, Tizaqueena is out of the winning Mr. Prospector mare Issaqueena.
For Equibase charts, click here.
Tim Nichols is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times
