Bad post hinders Admiral's Arch

Ten horses were entered Wednesday in the $100,000 Round Table, Arlington Park's stakes race on Saturday, and this much is sure: Arlington linemaker Joe Kristufek has his work cut out for him.

Admiral's Arch is a potential favorite, but drew in no man's land, post 10. The Round Table is for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on dirt, and there is not much of a run into the first turn. In fact, no horse has won a two-turn dirt race this meet from farther out than post 8. Scott Blasi, who has taken over for the suspended Steve Asmussen, will be listed as trainer for Admiral's Arch, who won the Northern Spur at the Oaklawn meet, and most recently finished a close fourth in the Northern Dancer at Churchill.

Bright One is another of the shorter prices, but could a last-out maiden winner be favored in a 10-horse, $100,000 stakes race? Perhaps. Bright One was one of two entered in the Round Table by Churchill-based Dale Romans, and jockey Mark Guidry appears to have chosen Bright One over the more experienced Irish Majesty. Bright One finished second in his career debut, then won a one-mile Churchill maiden race by more than nine lengths, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 101.

High Blues and Casino Evil, the one-two finishers in a recent entry-level allowance race at the Round Table's nine-furlong distance, also went into the Saturday stakes, as did the good Illinois-bred Barely Union Scale, Creative Force, and Tally Up.

Rush Bay can't get to New York

Since trainer Tom Amoss couldn't find a suitable way to get Rush Bay from Churchill Downs to Belmont Park for this weekend's Bowling Green Handicap, Amoss sent him to Arlington instead. Prepping for next weekend's Arlington Handicap - the local precursor to the Arlington Million - Rush Bay worked five furlongs on the Arlington grass course Wednesday morning. He was timed in 1:06.80, but times during Wednesday turf works are skewed slower with orange cones, or dogs, placed far out into the grass course.

Rush Bay showed promise last year at 3, missed the second part of the season, and has come back in good form this year, winning two straight turf races at Churchill, including the Opening Verse in his most recent start. Amoss said he wanted to make the trip to New York, but was foiled by shipping issues.

"We could not get the proper arrangements to get up there, or we would've been there," Amoss said.

Rush Bay has been running middle distances, but is bred to be a better horse at the 1 1/4 miles of the Arlington Handicap. And though a good effort in that race could open new horizons, Amoss is taking it one step at a time.

"Beyond this we haven't made any decisions," he said. "We're going to run him there, and see where he fits."

* Rush Bay was one of several stakes-class horses working Wednesday at Arlington. Also out for a breeze were Arbuckle Bandit, who may start next in the American Derby; Coach Jimi Lee, who comes off a powerful win in the Iowa Sprint Handicap, his third straight victory in that race; and the 3-year-old filly Coolwind, who got back on track with a sharp one-mile allowance victory last out at Arlington.

* Friday's card lacks a true feature, with the eighth-race spot on the nine-race program being held down by a modest entry-level allowance race for Illinois-breds.