Distance no concern for Da Big Hoss in American St. Leger

One of the most productive claims of recent times will be stoutly favored to add another stakes win to his remarkable record Saturday when Da Big Hoss faces nine other older horses in the Grade 3 American St. Leger on the Arlington Million undercard in suburban Chicago.

Da Big Hoss has won five stakes and earned nearly $950,000 since Mike Maker claimed him for $50,000 in June 2015 on behalf of the Skychai Racing partnership headed by Harvey Diamond and Jimmy Shircliff.

The latest conquest by Da Big Hoss came on Belmont Stakes weekend, when he rallied to win the $300,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles. The 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid is based at the Trackside training center in Louisville, Ky.

“We’ve had a lot of confidence in him,” Maker said. “He continues to do well. He looks fabulous going into Saturday. I let Da Big Hoss train himself and not get in his way.”

The odd distance of the $300,000 St. Leger figures to complement the relentless style of Da Big Hoss, who once again will be ridden by Florent Geroux. The 1 11/16-mile race starts deep on the backstretch of the Arlington Park turf course and proceeds around three turns.

“I wasn’t concerned with him going two miles,” Maker said.

A field of 11 was entered for this fifth running of the St. Leger, which is modeled after ancient European races of great distance, but at least one will scratch: Messi, who had been pegged as the third choice on the Arlington morning line but did not make the trip from Maryland for trainer Graham Motion.

That defection leaves Clondaw Warrior, a 9-year-old Irish-bred, as a top challenger, along with Billabong, O’Prado Ole, and another Maker trainee, Generous Kitten.

Generous Kitten will “run as far as they write them,” Maker said.

“He’s been running a mile and a half, but I think the increased distance will help him, too,” he said. “That said, he’ll still have to step it up to beat Da Big Hoss.”

Maker has a third St. Leger starter in Rocket Professor, a recent claim whose front-running tendencies would seem to ensure an honest pace ahead of those with more realistic chances.

Clondaw Warrior, a last-out winner in a 21-horse field at Galway, represents the first flat-race starter in North America for Willie Mullins, a champion steeplechase trainer in Ireland.

“He wants good ground, and this should be ideal for him,” said Virginie Bascop, an exercise rider representing the stable this week. “There’s no question he’ll stay. The turning track here would not be a worry.”

The St. Leger precedes a trio of Grade 1 events as the sixth of 10 Saturday races. It’s the first leg of an all-graded-stakes pick-four wager (races 6-9) that carries a $200,000 pool guarantee, with post time set for 3:05 p.m. Central.

Familiar foes in Pucker Up

The Grade 3, $100,000 Pucker Up (post 5:52) is the Saturday finale and the fifth straight graded stakes on the card – and it’s as deep and competitive as any of the others.

Auntie Joy and Noble Beauty, both exiting a rugged renewal of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks, return five weeks later as lukewarm co-favorites in the 53rd running of a 1 1/8-mile turf race that drew a capacity field of 14 3-year-old fillies.

Auntie Joy was a two-back winner of the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill Downs before finishing a decent sixth at 36-1 in the Belmont Oaks.

“She came out of the Belmont race good,” said Brendan Walsh, who trains the Uncle Mo filly for owner-breeder Sanford Robertson. “We’re all set and looking forward to Saturday.”

Noble Beauty, eighth at 17-1 in the Belmont Oaks, accompanied several stablemates to Arlington for Chad Brown, the leading trainer at Saratoga.

◗ The five graded stakes will be preceded by the last of just two Polytrack races on the day – the $75,000 Bruce D. Memorial (race 5, post 2:31), which honors Bruce Duchossois, the late son of Arlington chairman Richard L. Duchossois.

Top contenders among the 10 3-year-olds entered in the one-mile Bruce D. include Two Step Time, most recently fifth in the American Derby for Maker, and several who were overmatched in graded stakes in their last starts: Yo Carm, Pilot House, and Call the Colonel.