Jessica's Star looks to win Rasmussen Memorial for second straight year
Jessica’s Star, who has won three of his four starts at Prairie Meadows, meets Domain’s Rap and six others in the $65,000 Jim Rasmussen Memorial over 1 1/16 miles on Monday at Prairie Meadows.
Jessica’s Star won the Rasmussen by one length last year, running his local record to 3 for 3 before going bad in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap in June and heading to the sidelines until this winter. Jessica’s Star was a close second to the solid dirt-route stakes horse Mobile Bay in the Maxxam Gold Cup while making his comeback start at Sam Houston, then finished a strong second in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap before being disqualified to fifth. He ran below his best form in finishing fifth May 6 in the Texas Mile but had a poor start and was hung very wide around the first turn, and he can bounce back Monday.
Domain’s Rap was claimed for just $10,000 last November at Remington Park but improved massively over the next few months for trainer Francisco Villafranco, peaking with a second-place finish behind Upstart in the Grade 3 Razorback on March 19 at Oaklawn Park. Domain’s Rap got in water too deep when finishing sixth in the Oaklawn Handicap but should find the company more inviting Monday.
Code West probably needs a race, but he and Smack Smack are the logical alternatives to the two chalks.
Arlington: Stakes-class allowance
Monday’s eighth race at Arlington is a second-level Polytrack sprint allowance with a $40,000 claiming option that drew a strong field packed with speed.
Shogood, who won the 2015 Arlington-Washington Futurity, will show pace from the rail, particularly from Good Bye Greg, who has made the lead in all five of his starts over synthetic surfaces. Good Bye Greg has proven to be fragile, a 5-year-old with seven starts, but always has run fresh for trainer Larry Rivelli and figures to be favored here. If he and Shogood tangle too long and too hard up front, Reigning Catfish or Purely Given could pick up the pieces.