Arklow's return highlights Bowling Green
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The first thing that jumps off the page when looking at the entries for Sunday’s $250,000 Bowling Green at Saratoga is the lack of any real pace presence in the race. The second is the fact the popular Arklow is back for another campaign, returning for his first start in nearly eight months and first at Saratoga since finishing a close third in the 2019 Bowling Green.
The Grade 2, 1 3/8-mile fixture drew a field of six, including two-time defending champion Cross Border.
Arklow, who is less than $40,000 away from eclipsing the $3 million mark in career earnings, has not started since finishing fifth, beaten five lengths by Rockemperor, in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Oct. 9. Arklow will get a chance to avenge that setback with Rockemperor joining his Chad Brown-trained stablemate L’Imperator in the starting gate for the Bowling Green.
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Arklow won just once in five starts last year, kicking off the season with a victory in the Grade 3 Louisville at Churchill Downs. He was also second, beaten a neck, in the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup last summer at Kentucky Downs.
“He’s doing great,” Cox said after watching Arklow’s final breeze in preparation for his return. “He looks amazing for an 8-year-old. He’s been ready to run for a while and I think he’s already proven a couple of times that he’s capable of winning off a layoff.”
Arklow joins Cross Border as the elder statesmen in the Bowling Green lineup. Cross Border won the Bowling Green last summer by 1 1/4 lengths over Rockemperor and the previous season via the disqualification of Sadler’s Joy. Cross Border is a horse for the course, having won six times and been no worse than third in eight local starts.
Brown has won the Bowling Green twice, but not since 2016 with Flintshire, and is looking for improved performances from both Rockemperor and L’Imperator on Saturday. L’Imperator perhaps is the most likely member of the field to try and take advantage of the lack of speed in the race.
Rockemperor has been off the board in all four starts since rallying to a two-length triumph in the 2020 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont. He angled wide and fell short with his final bid when second behind Cross Border in the 2020 Bowling Green.
“Rockemperor hasn’t come into form yet, but I do like his works, particularly recently, and if the turf dries out and is firm, I’d expect him to run his best race this year,” said Brown. “I’d be disappointed if he didn’t.”
L’Imperator was allowed to set a slow pace over a yielding course before drawing away to a 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy at Belmont on May 7. He finished a troubled seventh last month in the Grade 1 Manhattan.
“He kind of surprised me when he went to the lead and won the Fort Marcy on really heavy ground,” Brown said. “He didn’t get the best of trips in the Manhattan. He was covered up and never really found his stride. It looks like he’ll probably be on the lead in this race.”
Highland Chief is yet another Grade 1 winner in the well-matched Bowling Green lineup, having upset the Man o’ War this past spring before returning to finish fourth in the Grade 1 Manhattan four weeks later.
Cibolian, who’ll race with blinkers off on Saturday, completes the field.
– additional reporting by David Grening