Distance is ideal for Singin Vicar

Singin Vicar, who has run two of the best races of his career at 1 1/16 miles, will move back to that distance Saturday in the $25,000 Mount Elbert Handicap at Arapahoe Park.

The race is for 3-year-olds and up and is restricted to horses bred in Colorado.

Singin Vicar won both the Colorado Derby and the Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders Association Derby at 1 1/16 miles last year at Arapahoe. He enters the Mount Elbert off a third-place finish in the $22,000 Front Range at seven furlongs on July 5.

Singin Vicar, trained by James Jones, contested the pace in that race, and figures to be prominent Saturday. Vernon Scantling has the mount on Singin Vicar, who is co-highweighted at 124 pounds.

The 12-horse field also includes Brahms Haze and Folsum, who finished second and third to Singin Vicar in the $39,000 Aspen on June 21.

The card also includes the $25,000 CTBA Oaks, a mile-and-70-yard race for 3-year-old fillies bred in Colorado. Heaven's Prize, a winner of two of her last three starts, looks like a top contender for Jones. Another horse of interest is Illusive Crystals, who last year was a 14-length winner of the $35,000 CTBA Lassie at Arapahoe.