Arlington trainer Block excited for Beverly D challenge
In a year when the Arlington Million features an unprecedented two Illinois-bred contenders, the Beverly D joins the act with one of its own.
And who else would be the trainer but Chris Block, the Champaign native who has operated one of the most successful stables for Illinois horses of all time.
Block will make his third appearance (Never Retreat in 2011 and No Fault of Mine last year) in the 1 3/16ths-miles $600,000 Beverly D on Saturday.
He saddles Modesty runner-up Prado's Sweet Ride, a 30-1 morningline longshot who drew the No. 2 post with jockey Carlos Marquez Jr.
"It's a deep race (talent-wise), as it should be for a Grade 1," said Block, who has also started Illinois-bred horses in the Million (Mystery Giver in 2002 and 2004), the Secretariat (Giant Oak) and American St. Leger (runner-up Ioya Big Time and Sun Tracer). "But our filly is doing really well."
The 5-year-old daughter of Fort Prado has been no worse than third in seven of her past nine starts, including second to Beverly D morningline favorite Dona Bruja in the Grade III Modesty at Arlington on July 8.
"She (Prado's Sweet Ride) has moved forward in her career to be the best she has been right now," said Block, who has saddled the mare to 6 wins in 20 starts for earnings of close to $300,000. "She is at the top of her game, which she will have to be to get on the board on Saturday."
A top-three finish would thrill Block.
"I would be tickled to death," he said. "She has a chance to do that with a good trip and a firm turf. She doesn't handle a soft turf real well. And it looks like a firm turf is what we will get Saturday. That gives us the best chance."
Block loves the chance to win a big race at Arlington.
"This is my home track," he said. "This is where I base out of and any time we can lead one from Barn 12 up to the paddock to run in a Grade I, we are proud to do that.
"We kind of qualified to be here by running second to a very strong filly in the Modesty."
That filly, Dona Bruja, has won 10 of her 12 starts (all but two in Argentina) for trainer Ignacio Correas.
Another locally trained starter in the 10-horse race is Zippesa, handled by Michael Stidham.
"We do meet up quite a bit in these races," Block said of the matchup with Stidham.
Stidham saddled Tizqueena to fourth in the 2009 Beverly D, and his Upperline was fifth in the 2011 and 2012 editions.
Completing the field are Grade I winner Dacita, Grade III champ Grand Jete (Great Britain), Grade II winner Rainha Da Bateria, Grade I placed Hawksmoor (Ireland), Rain Goddess (Ireland), Sarandia (German) and Kitten's Roar.
Scottish scratched:
The Million field was trimmed to 12 on Thursday with the scratch of Godolphin Racing's Group III winner Scottish (IRE), due to an injury.