Midnight Cello eyes repeat in Hanshin Cup

The Hanshin Cup had a repeat winner at the start of its existence when Bright Valour won in 2000 and 2001. No horse has gone back-to-back since, but Midnight Cello will be favored to do so Saturday at Arlington.

Midnight Cello, who is 7-2 on the morning line and could drop lower than that with the hot-riding Jose Valdivia Jr. named, is among 11 entrants in the Hanshin Cup, a Grade 3, $100,000 stakes to be contested at a one-turn mile on Polytrack.

Not all who entered are expected to start. Trace Creek is more likely for a third-level allowance race earlier on the card, while 9-year-old Mister Marti Gras, second in the last three Hanshins, also could opt for that same allowance race.

As of Thursday, Woodland Walk was uncertain to ship from Ohio, while Dimension is cross-entered Saturday at Churchill Downs and might not come from Kentucky.

The Hanshin, race 7 of eight, has a scheduled post time of 4:44 p.m. Central on easily the strongest card of the young Arlington season.

Hanshin cup, Race 7

KEY CONTENDERS

Midnight Cello, by Midnight Lute

Last 3 Beyers: 92-78-82

◗ The Hanshin first appeared in Arlington’s condition book as a race on May 28, and trainer Mike Tomlinson said he nearly was caught pointing Midnight Cello, who hasn’t raced since late January, for the wrong weekend.

“It threw me one work short, but he’s working very solidly,” Tomlinson said. “I feel like he’s in the same place he was a year ago.”

◗ Midnight Cello ran perhaps the best race of his career in winning the 2015 Hanshin by five lengths. He has run well in all three of his starts on synthetic surfaces, and with that in mind, Tomlinson and owner Patricia’s Hope freshened him through February and March. A one-turn mile with a long straightaway, Tomlinson said, is a perfect fit for his horse.

“He’s a big boy, never seems to get away real good, and the long backstretch of the one-turn mile lets him build his momentum and unwind, do his thing. I love him drawn on the outside, where he can stay out of trouble.”

◗ Leading jockey Valdivia has the mount.

Recount, by Limehouse

Last 3 Beyers: 88-81-88

◗ A perfect 4 for 4 on Arlington’s Polytrack and enters in strong form, having run well in races as disparate as Oaklawn sprints and Churchill turf routes this year.

“He’s become very versatile,” said trainer Jim DiVito. “He’s gotten beat by a couple tough ones this year.”

◗ Has been forwardly placed in many of his best races, but – depending on scratches – might be better served racing from behind Saturday.

“It looks like a lot of speed, but he can come from off the pace,” DiVito said.

One Go All Go, by Fairbanks

Last 3 Beyers: 91-54-89

◗ Got good as a front-running turf-route horse last year at age 3 but in 2014 finished a close, troubled third to Recount here in the Arlington-Washington Futurity over seven furlongs on Polytrack.