NEWS
Irish classic winner to face local star in Secretariat
Posted: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 4:18 PM
WILLCOX INN
FourFootedFotos.com
by Mike Curry
Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-G1) winner Treasure Beach (GB) will cut back in distance for his U.S. debut on Saturday in the Secretariat Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park.
The bay Galileo (Ire) colt from Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stable has made each of his four most recent starts this season at about 1 1/2 miles, including a three-quarter-length Irish Derby win for owners Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor.
The 2-to-1 morning-line favorite for the 1 1/4-mile Secretariat, Treasure Beach won twice at two at seven furlongs, but firmer ground than he is used to and the quicker pace of U.S. racing could leave the door open for one of his nine challengers.
Local star Willcox Inn will try to become only the fourth horse to sweep Arlington’s Mid-America Triple after dominant wins in the Arlington Classic Stakes on May 28 and American Derby (G2) on July 9. The Harlan’s Holiday colt will attempt to join Tom Rolfe (1965), Buckpasser (1966), and Honor Glide (1997) in completing the three-race sweep in the Secretariat.
Trained by Mike Stidham for owner All In Stable, Grade 1-placed Willcox Inn breezed a half-mile in :50.80 on the Arlington turf on Sunday.
“He’s really coming into it well. His last two breezes have been real strong,” Stidham said. “He had a five-furlong work [in 1:00.60 on July 31], and worked really well on the Polytrack. And then he came back with a final work on the turf. He worked with a good filly that is actually in the Beverly D. [Stakes (G1)] named Upperline, and she broke off four or five [lengths] in front of him and he was about heads up with her at the finish and really had a good final breeze going into the [Secretariat]. We’re really pumped up about it going into the race.”
WIllcox Inn, third in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2), was tabbed the 9-to-2 third choice on the morning line.
Banned won the American Turf (G2) and Jefferson Cup (G3) Stakes at Churchill Downs and is the 3-to-1 second choice entering off a runner-up finish, beaten by a neck by Air Support, in the Virginia Derby (G2).
Other contenders include Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Derby Kitten, Prix Daphnis (Fr-G3) winner Ziyarid (Ire), stakes winner Crimson China, and American Derby and Arlington Classic runner-up Suntracer.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
