There will be a special weekend at Arlington Park this coming weekend, as it will be closing day at the course before it is set to be sold later in the year. This will be the biggest weekend of action at the track before then, with three huge Grade 1s. We will run through the races taking place and the picks that we believe are good value with the best online horse racing sportsbooks.
Beverly D. Stakes
We will begin with the Beverly D. Stakes, which is the opening of the Grade 1 races and is set to be run by fillies aged three and older over 1 3/16 miles on the turf. Chad Brown has trained the last five winners of this race, and he will have Lemista in the race this weekend.
There is no denying that Lemista is a talented horse, but she doesn’t look to have been able to reach the standard that she set herself during her time in Ireland. She was most recently eighth in the Diana Stakes. Aidan O’Brien has shipped a number of horses for the meet, including Belmont Oaks winner Santa Barbara.
A quick race will certainly suit this three-year-old, but we will instead side with a horse that has been consistent throughout the season. Mean Mary has already won the G3 Gallorette and G2 New York this season, and could be the outstanding selection if she is able to dictate the pace.
Pick: Mean Mary
Bruce D. Stakes
Next up is the Bruce D. Stakes, which is yet another Grade 1 on this outstanding card. This is a race for the three-year-olds over one mile on the turf. This could potentially be the most open of the races taking place at Arlington this weekend.
Tango Tango Tango will be a popular selection, as he has course form having won the American Derby last time out. That won game him a speed figure of 96, but is likely to be very short.
Therefore, we will go elsewhere and opt for a horse trained by the king of Arlington. Larry Rivelli is yet to claim a Grade 1 at this track, despite having the most winners. King of Miami could be his best chance, as he has gone two from four this season. His last win came in the Mystic Lake Derby in June, but will need to bounce back after finishing tenth in the American Derby.
Pick: King of Miami
Mister D. Stakes
The race previously known as the Arlington Million will be the featured race of the day. It holds a lucrative purse of $600,000, as horses battle over 1 ¼ miles.
Chad Brown’s four-year-olds have an excellent record in this race, as they have won the last three renewals. He has Domestic Spending looking to continue that trend this weekend. The four-year-old is a class act, and has won six from seven, including victories in the Manhattan Stakes, Turf Classic and Hollywood Derby.
However, we will be keen to take on the short-price favorite with another O’Brien runner- Armory. I was very impressed with this horse earlier in the season, as he looked like a superstar when winning the Huxley Stakes. He has been beaten by respected horses Love and Bangkok on his last two, but the distance will certainly suit him down to the ground.
Pick: Armory
