NEWS
Major Gain, Wonderlandbynight victorious at Arlington
Posted: Saturday, September 11, 2010 8:56 PM
MAJOR GAIN
FourFootedFotos.com
by Ron Parker
Major Gain posted his first stakes victory in the $100,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) and Wonderlandbynight remained undefeated by winning the $100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (G3) as a pair of one-mile graded stakes for two-year-olds highlighted Saturday’s card at Arlington Park.
Gary and Mary West’s homebred Major Gain made a powerful move from seventh at the quarter pole to take the lead in the stretch and finished strongly under jockey Junior Alvarado for a one-length win in the Futurity (video).
The More Than Ready colt, trained by Wayne Catalano, entered the Futurity a maiden but showed promise in his debut at Arlington on August 14 in runner-up finish to Caleb’s Posse in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race.
Seventh after six furlongs, Major Gain avenged that defeat as he rolled through the lane from five wide to overtake six opponents, including Caleb’s Posse, for the victory.
Rough Sailing, favored at odds of 1.70-to-1, rallied along the rail to grab second by a nose over Caleb’s Posse.
Major Gain crossed the finish line in 1:36.36 on the synthetic Polytrack surface.
The first starter out of the stakes-winning Old Trieste mare Dream Lady, Major Gain has earned $63,800 in his two starts.
In the Lassie for two-year-old fillies, Mark Dedomenico’s Wonderlandbynight broke in at the break and was bumped before settling near the back of the pack. The Sky Mesa filly was ninth of 13 under jockey E. T. Baird with just two furlongs left but unleashed a powerful drive to inhale the field for a 2 ½-length victory in 1:36.65 (video).
Jordy Y rallied for second, a neck ahead of Third Chance.
Jockey Junior Alvarado, who rode Jordy Y, claimed foul against the winner for interference in the stretch but the stewards made no change, denying Alvarado and Catalano a sweep of the two stakes.
The Arlington-Washington Lassie was the fourth win in as many starts for Wonderlandbynight, who won the Ontario Debutante Stakes on August 14 at Woodbine.
Bred in Illinois by Michael Reavis, she is out of the winning Gulch mare Onemiracleatatime, a half sister to multiple stakes winner Timeless Love.
Wonderlandbynight increased her earnings to $176,418.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
