Arlington racing office doing best to fill races

There were just 53 horses entered on Sunday’s eight-race card, and since Arlington expanded its racing week from three to four days in July, the struggle to fill races with a diminished equine population at a track with purses barely competitive in the region has grown more intense. Average starters per race was a respectable (these days) 7.61 in May and June but is down to 6.96 in July. And it is not just overnight entries: the $50,000 Springfield Stakes for Illinois-bred 3-year-olds, scheduled for Friday, got a grand total of five nominations, never had a chance to go, and was summarily scrapped.

But it’s not like the Arlington racing office can close up shop and move to the next stop, and reviews of its work this season have been widely favorable: You can’t make a diamond ring when the ground yields only lumps of coal, after all.

“Everyone here is working incredibly hard,” said racing secretary Chris Polzin. “They’re all on the phone all the time. They’re the ones that get the horses – not me.”

The Springfield aside, Arlington’s stakes – especially the Million Preview Day card July 11 – have filled well, especially considering the purse structure, and Polzin lauded the work of stakes coordinator Gary Duch, the former Hawthorne racing secretary.

“There’s probably not a better stakes coordinator around,” Polzin said.

◗ In Sunday’s fifth race, a first-level allowance at five furlongs on turf, Singingintheheat makes his first start since a sharp second-start maiden win here May 30. That day, he beat subsequent blowout winner Nite of the Hunter by more than 10 lengths. That win came on Polytrack. Can Singingintheheat repeat the performance on turf?

◗ Jockey Tim Thornton, out with an injury since last month, is scheduled to return to action Saturday.