Maid On a Mission grabs for brass ring

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Ron Paolucci has been known to make some unconventional decisions as a racehorse owner. Some of his moves with Ria Antonia and War Story raised eyebrows among the less adventurous, and now he’s sending a longshot to Chicago with hopes of upsetting the prestigious Beverly D. Stakes.

Paolucci instructed trainer Peter Walder to scratch Maid On a Mission last weekend from a $75,000 stakes at Gulfstream Park and run her instead in the Grade 1, $700,000 Beverly D. Stakes on Saturday at Arlington Park.

“I told Ron this definitely wouldn’t be my first choice,” said Walder. “It’s an ambitious spot to say the least. But if we can make an easy-enough lead, well, every once in a while a horse like this will jump up and win. I’m on board. I told Ron I’m here in Chicago to have a good time and be a team player.”

Maid On a Mission, a 6-year-old mare, will be making her first start since Paolucci’s Loooch Racing Stable and Aaron Yagoda bought her for $102,000 at auction this summer at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Two horses, Sr. Quisqueyano and City of Weston, have won stakes at first asking when turned over by Loooch to Walder, a factor in taking a shot at the Beverly D.

“Theoretically, the thought is why waste that first big effort on a smaller stake when a race like this is in front of you?” said Walder.