Victorious Stream Cat may be back for Arlington Million

There could be a cat on the prowl for the Aug. 9 Arlington Million.

Jockey James Graham steered Stream Cat to a 3¾-length victory in Saturday's $194,000 Grade III Arlington Handicap before a Million Preview Day crowd of 14,043.

The 5-year old gelding became a repeat candidate for the mile and a quarter Million.

Stream Cat was fourth, only a length behind champion Jambalaya, in last year's Million.

"If he comes out of this race OK, and acts with good energy, we'll probably be back here for the Million," said trainer George Arnold after watching the 5-year-old son of Black Minnaloushe sweep past heavily favored and front-running Cosmonaut nearing the eighth pole. "I've had this horse only about six or seven weeks, and I learned a lot about him today."

Arnold also trains Tiger Woodman, who was last in the compact field of four.

"I was kind of surprised by the small field," Arnold said. "Actually I thought we'd run better with a bigger field. I told James if it's a galloping race, just don't let that horse in front of you get away."

Two-time defending Arlington Handicap champ Cosmonaut, who went wire to wire last year for trainer Patrick Biancone, tried the same formula this time for Arnold.

"My horse (Stream Cat) was just floating along," said the 29-year-old Graham, a native of Ireland who won his biggest race at Arlington. "I just followed Cosmonaut. When I pulled the trigger, he (Cosmonaut) had no answer."

Stream Cat, owned by the Fab Oak Stable (Fabien Quacki, Robert Hurley and John Goldthorpe), boosted his career bankroll to more than $600,000 by winning for the sixth time in 16 starts.

American Derby: Making every pole a winning one, 3-5 chalk Tizdejavu and jockey Rene Douglas came home a 2¼- length winner in the $250,000 Grade II event.

The 3-year-old son of Breeders' Cup champ Tiznow has won three straight graded stakes.

Kentucky-based trainer Greg Fox said fans can watch for Tizdejavu's return for the Grade I Secretariat on Aug. 9.

Modesty Handicap: Communique, shipping in from Churchill Downs for trainer George Arnold, closed well on the soft turf for a 3¾-length victory in the Grade III event.

"It's hard to say how she'd do in the (Grade I Beverly D Aug. 9)," said jockey Rene Douglas. "This track was soft today but she definitely loved the distance. And on this track, you want to be a closer."