Lewis Michael goes for signature victory today
Lewis Michael, named for the son of Arlington Park's top owner, Frank Calabrese, will try to capture the biggest win of his career in today's 76th running of the Grade II, $300,000 Washington Park Stakes.
The 4-year-old son of Rahy, listed as the second morning-line choice at 5-2, must beat a field of eight, including favored A.P. Arrow, trained by Todd Pletcher, the nation's top money-winning trainer.
The 1 3/16-mile race is Arlington's richest and most prestigious main-track event and will be staged on Polytrack for the first time.
"Pletcher's horse has some speed," said Wayne Catalano, who trains Lewis Michael for Calabrese. "My horse will do whatever he has to do to win the race."
Jockey E.T. Baird, a graduate of Rolling Meadows High School, just minutes away from Arlington Park, will hold the reins for the first time on Lewis Michael.
Arlington's top rider, Rene Douglas, who has ridden Lewis Michael eight straight times, will snap that partnership when he switches to trainer Claude McGaughey III's Minister's Joy.
Mark Guidry, a former two-time local riding champ, will steer A.P. Arrow for the first time.
Baird rode Dreaming of Anna to victory a week ago for Calabrese and Catalano in the Grade II Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs.
"We've been having a lot of luck with (Baird)," Catalano said. "He is a good rider, and we've been very happy with him."
Catalano has also been happy with Lewis Michael following his 7-length romp in a $100,000 optional claiming race on July 15. Prior to that, he was second by 2˜ lengths to 80-1 longshot Spotsgone in the Grade III Hanshin Handicap.
"Everything has been beautiful," Catalano said. "He's worked back very well (from the July 15 race) and he drew a real nice post."
A.P. Arrow drew the No. 4 slot and will be seeking his second graded-stakes conquest of the season. The 5-year-old son of A.P. Indy won the Grade III Skip Away at Gulfstream Park on March 31 and was most recently sixth in a seven-horse field for the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup.
Minister's Joy was sixth in the Grade I Manhattan Stakes at Belmont and was second by a nose on April 27 in the Grade II Ben Ali on the Keeneland Polytrack.
McGaughey won the Washington Park Stakes in 1990 with Ogden Phipps' Lay Down.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who will start stakes-placed Mustanfar from the No. 7 post, won the Washington Park Handicap in 2005 with Eye of the Tiger. Mustanfar is the son of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled and will be looking for his first win on Polytrack, having already scored on turf and dirt.
Other than McGaughey and McLaughlin, no one else saddling a horse today has won this race.
"The Sea O Erin ($150,000 one-mile turf race on Aug. 11) was going to be the target (for Lewis Michael)," Catalano said. "Then this race came up."
Drawing the rail today is Save Big Money, whose name fans might recognize from the commercial jingle for Menards, the Midwest-based home center chain. John Menard is a co-owner with Tomisue Hilbert for Save Big Money, who has pocketed earnings of $112,027 with 3 wins from 14 starts. The 4-year-old offspring of Storm Cat makes his first stakes appearance and is listed at 15-1 in the morning line.