Good Bye Greg vs. Gorgeous George in showdown of synthetic lovers

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Gorgeous George is a poor man’s version of Good Bye Greg. Or is he, at this stage, close to his equal?

Probably not, but the featured third race Sunday at Arlington brings them together and will reveal more than the past performance lines can show.

Good Bye Greg is a minor Arlington star with seven wins, a second, and a third from nine Polytrack starts over five years. Good Bye Greg struggles to stay sound, but each summer trainer Larry Rivelli and his crew manage to get him right enough for an Arlington campaign. Now 7, Good Bye Greg returned from his latest long layoff and won July 21, taking his synthetic-surface talents to turf.

Good Bye Greg raced for a $50,000 claiming price and is back in for the same tag and back to Polytrack in a race also open to second-level allowance horses. Good Bye Greg is a front-runner and has noted speed rider E.T. Baird as his jockey, and is favorably drawn outside other speed in the race. He’ll be something close to even-money and, historically, has been the wrong favorite to try and beat.

Gorgeous George is up in class from starter-allowances to race under second-level allowance conditions, and he, like Good Bye Greg, has a special fondness for the local all-weather surface, over which he has compiled a 5-2-1 record from 10 starts. Gorgeous George needs some time to get his large frame together and does his best work late, and if Malraux and Moose go fast and soften up the favorite, Gorgeous George just might have enough quality to run them all down.

◗ Hotshot Anna, who ran a huge race winning the Chicago on June 23, earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, is back on a regular work pattern for owner-trainer Hugh Robertson and is on track to start Aug. 20 at Presque Isle Downs in the $100,000 Satin and Lace Stakes over six furlongs on Tapeta. If all goes well there, Hotshot Anna will return to Presque Isle for the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters on Sept. 17.

◗ Indiana Grand was forced to cancel its entire card this past Wednesday because of heavy storms, and that card included two $150,000 stakes for Indiana-breds. Those two races will be run on the Aug. 15 program, which was drawn Friday morning.

◗ Prairie Meadows was to host its final Thoroughbred card of the summer Friday night. Racing action at the central Iowa track switches to Quarter Horses for the rest of the season.