Former business teacher hopes Crewman schools American St. Leger Stakes field
A former business teacher hopes her first graded stakes winner gets down to business on Saturday in the sixth running of the $250,000 American St. Leger Stakes.
Dee Poulos, who taught business classes at Forest View High School before becoming the assistant trainer to her late husband Ernie, sends out Crewman in the 1 11/16ths miles turf marathon.
Crewman is 15-1 in the morning line, coming off a seventh-place finish in the Grade II Arlington Handicap.
"We are worried about the distance," said Poulos, a Palatine resident who trains the horse for Tim Kindlon of Warrenville. "But I feel comfortable because Carlos Marquez, Jr. is on him and he knows him very well. He knows how to get him to relax so that makes me feel more secure."
Poulos feels her Kentucky bred will probably be near the lead.
"He's been on the pace," she said. "I just hope he can go out there and relax."
The 6-year-old son of Candy Ride gave Poulos her first graded stakes win when he won the Grade III Hanshin Handicap under Marquez at Arlington on May 13 at odds of 25-1.
It is Dee's first appearance in an International Festival of Racing event.
"It makes you a little anxious," she said. "But the horse is doing great."
The race drew a field of eight, including Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's morning line favorite Keystoneforvictory (5-2), who won the Grade III Stars and Stripes at Arlington on July 4 defeating heavily-favored The Pizza Man.
Trainer Mike Maker's Grade III-winner Taghleeb finished second in the Grade I Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park while Bullards Alley was second by a neck in the Grade III Singspiel Handicap at Woodbine.
Alpha Warrior is an Arlington turf winner this season. Tobias was sixth in this race a year ago. Applicator took third in the Stars and Stripes at Arlington on July 8 while Postulation is coming off a win in the Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware.
Handicapping the Secretariat:
It's a compact field of six in the Grade I 400,000 1ΒΌ-miles turf event but the quality of sophomores is top flight for the 41st edition.
Amerman Racing's multiple Grade I champion and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Oscar Performance is the 8-5 morning line favorite. Second choice is Godolphin's Group I-placed and multiple Group II victor Permian.
Representing France will be Afandem, who is handled by top French conditioner Jean-Claude Rouget.
Also in the field are top two finishers from this year's Grade III American Derby - trainer Ian Wilkes Sonic Boom and Mike Maker's Gorgeous Kitten.
Completing the field is Taj Mahal, trying to give trainer Aidan O'Brien his fifth win in the Secretariat.