Her Emmynency set to return in Saturday feature

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – One day, Her Emmynency was preparing for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall, and the next, she was in a fight for her life after coming down with a serious case of colitis. The question became not when Her Emmynency would start next but if she ever would race again.

The filly eventually fought off that illness and was given a long recovery period, and after posting her first timed workout this year in late April, she is set to resume what was – and still might well be – a promising racing career in the featured third race Saturday at Arlington.

Trained by Mike Stidham for owners Ike and Dawn Thrash, Her Emmynency is one of six fillies and mares entered in a second-level allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option carded for one mile on turf. By all appearances, the Chicago area has entered monsoon season, and several instances of heavy rain this week have imperiled grass racing during the weekend.

A move to Polytrack probably wouldn’t trouble Her Emmynency, who is 7-5 on the morning line and one of two Stidham-trained horses, along with Voluptuous, in the race. Her Emmynency won her debut over Polytrack at Del Mar last season and came right back to finish second to Sunset Glow in the Del Mar Debutante. Switched to grass, the daughter of Successful Appeal and Chic Dancer (who was a stalwart on the Arlington turf during her racing career) won the $101,000 Surfer Girl by nearly three lengths while facing 11 foes at Santa Anita.

How she might fare on a wet and laboring turf course this weekend is another question, however, with Her Emmynency surely not geared up to full fitness for her first start back. Her stablemate could prove to be her main rival, and Voluptuous ran creditably over yielding ground last summer at Arlington.

Thornton out until mid-July

Jockey Tim Thornton hasn’t ridden since late May, when he broke his right wrist in a fall after his mount stumbled when one of its leg bandages came loose in a race.

According to agent Penny Ffitch-Heyes, Thornton was given a recovery timetable of six weeks after the injury was diagnosed, and if healing continues at a good pace, he should be able to start getting on horses again in less than four weeks.