Brezing Rain tries again in allowance

Maybe it's in deference to a marquee event like the Travers Stakes, or more likely it's the feast-or-famine method of scheduling stakes at the 2009 meet. Whatever the case, the Saturday card at Arlington Park surely won't be one of the more memorable programs in track history, owing to an obvious dearth of high-end competition.

Two entry-level allowances (races 7 and 8) serve as nominal co-features on a nine-race program that starts at the usual 1 p.m. Central, with neither appearing to include a standout favorite.

The seventh race, a $41,480 Polytrack race for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs, could have Brezing Rain as a lukewarm choice. After winning her career debut in June at Arlington, the Tom Proctor-trained filly wheeled back to be second for this condition in her only subsequent start.

Clear Cut, beaten just a head in the same race Brezing Rain exits, and Hug It Out, turning back from route races, look like the strongest opposition in a field of six.

The eighth race, a $31,500 turf race for older Illinois-breds at a mile, carries a little more depth. Weggie and Cannon's Call, the respective two-three finishers in a similar turf race Aug. 9, are among the field of eight entered.

Trainer Chris Block sends out late-running Weggie and has a second threat in the race in Triple Check. They race uncoupled for wagering purposes. Triple Check was fifth as the favorite in the common Aug. 9 race.

Arlington has not staged a major event since the Aug. 8 International Festival of Racing, featuring the 27th Arlington Million. Another important weekend looms, however, as seven stakes (including five Grade 3 races) will be run at the Arlington Heights, Ill., track on Labor Day weekend: three on Sept. 5, and four on Sept. 7.

* The $50,000 John Henry was supposed to anchor the Saturday card, but Arlington racing officials recently announced the one-mile turf race for older horses has been postponed until later in the meet, possibly to Sept. 19 or 26.

* Wayne Catalano and Junior Alvarado have steadily edged ahead in what once were tight trainer and jockey races, respectively. Into Thursday, Catalano had won 37 races at the meet, 10 more than his closest competitor, while Alvarado held a six-win margin with 79 winners.