Helicopter brings big figure to Arlington route

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Helicopter needed 19 tries to win a maiden race, and when he first came to Arlington during the spring of 2009, he ran in a $5,000 claimer for non-winners of two.

Quickly, and unexpectedly, Helicopter found a niche racing on synthetic surfaces, and five years later, he has a claim to being king of the Arlington Polytrack, his 12 wins over the surface the most by any horse since Arlington went synthetic in 2007.

The 8-year-old Helicopter starts for a $40,000 claiming price in the co-featured fourth race Thursday, a 1 1/8-mile Polytrack contest also open to second-level allowance horses.

Helicopter declined markedly during 2013, going winless in nine starts, but his 2014 debut May 22 produced victory and, startlingly, a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I thought he’d run well. I was surprised he ran that well,” said Arlington’s leading trainer, Larry Rivelli.

Rivelli scratched Helicopter from a race Saturday that was open to $30,000 claimers and $16,000 starter-allowance horses – his comeback level – in favor of this richer spot. The gelding has won half of his 10 tries at Thursday’s nine-furlong trip and could take another Thursday.

The eight-horse field is contentious, but one thing looks clear: Brown Almighty, with blinkers added and jockey E.T. Baird up, should head straight to the front. He might not be good enough to see out the nine-furlong trip, and win threat Only in America figures to stick within striking distance.

The pick to run later and score a minor upset is Formidable Heart, who exits a Grade 3 stakes and cuts back in distance after two 1 1/2-mile turf races to start his 4-year-old campaign.

Race 6, like race 4, is a second-level allowance with a $40,000 claiming option, but this contest is a one-turn mile for fillies and mares.

At 15-1 on the morning line, Viva Bertha offers tremendous value, her one-turn Polytrack miles last summer a solid fit. Maria Maria, priced at 9-2, also should appreciate returning to a one-mile synthetic race, her first since a third-place finish in the 2013 Arlington-Washington Lassie.