Higher purses spur optimism as Arlington meet opens

More money plus more horses equals more better?

That’s the equation Arlington hopes holds during a 71-day racing season that commences Friday.

Through various sources – primarily an underpayment in the 2017 purse account and the restoration of Illinois Owners Awards by the state’s Department of Agriculture – Arlington could have close to $2 million more in purse money to pay out this year than in 2017. There’s a great chance that has something to do with the fact Arlington expects about 1,400 horses to be stabled on its backstretch this year compared with 1,150 in 2017.

Arlington averaged just 7.23 starters per race in 2017 and desperately hopes to bump that number up.

“We’re very fortunate to have a healthy purse account this year,” said general manager Tony Petrillo. “We’re looking for a great meet. Everyone seems to be in pretty high spirits.”

High spirits have been in low supply for several years at Arlington.

Purses in Illinois, unlike any nearby state with horse racing, aren’t supplemented with revenue from casino gambling, and paying purses almost exclusively through a dedicated percentage of betting handle puts Arlington at a competitive disadvantage. The track hopes average daily purses, not including stakes, to total about $175,000 this year, which could be better but has been worse.

“If we get off to a great start, we can be very, very optimistic this season,” Petrillo said. “If it’s a tough start, things will be more difficult to manage.”

The increased horse population stems from outfits that were stabled at Arlington last season increasing their numbers rather than new trainers coming to the track. Wayne Catalano, for instance, will have a full barn again this year after running somewhat sparingly in 2017.

It figures to be business as usual for trainer Larry Rivelli, who will have close to 100 horses at his disposal this meet after winning 79 races in 2017. Catalano was second in the standings with 29 wins. Expect trainers Chris Block, Scott Becker, and Steve Manley to have solid seasons again this meet.

Jose Valdivia, who rides many of the Rivelli horses, dominated the jockey standings last year and is favored to win another Arlington riding title. Among the newcomers to this meet is Sophie Doyle, who did well at Hawthorne’s short spring meeting in her first extended Chicago stint.

The stakes schedule has far fewer early-season gaps than it did last year, and comes to a peak with Arlington Million Day on Aug. 11. Arlington excised the American St. Leger, a Million Day race, from its stakes schedule this year, freeing up $250,000 for overnight purses.

Two- and three-day race weeks – with cards on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays – make up the May racing calendar, with three-day weeks set for June and Thursdays added to the schedule in July and August. First post generally is 1:20 p.m. Central on every day but Friday, when racing begins at 3:15.

The feature on opening day is race 7, a second-level filly-and-mare turf-route allowance also open to $40,000 claimers. Lola’s the One, Bet She Wins, Princess La Quinta, and Deep Breath rate as the leading contenders.