One Timer will be short price in Arlington-Washington Futurity

One Timer already has done it twice, and it will be a surprise if he doesn’t make it three on Saturday.

A sharp debut winner June 26 at Arlington, One Timer shipped to Woodbine and cruised to victory July 31 in the $127,000 Victoria Stakes, and he’ll be an odds-on favorite at Arlington in the $75,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity.

The Futurity shares top billing Saturday with the $75,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie as Arlington, on the market to be sold for development, winds down what’s expected to be its final racing season. The Futurity, which dates to 1927, is a historic race with a roster of excellent winners – Buckpasser, Honest Pleasure, Meadowlake, Spend a Buck, and Hansel, to name just a handful.

One Timer might be legitimate himself. Larry Rivelli, who trains the Trappe Shot colt for Richard Ravin and Vince Foglia’s Patricia’s Hope, said One Timer only is starting in the Futurity because he can walk out of his own stall to race and because Arlington is his owners’ home track. Rivelli has designs on the Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland in October and, if One Timer proves worthy, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

One Timer has made the lead in both his starts and won without appearing to work especially hard. At Woodbine, he crossed the wire full of energy and galloped out far in front of the field, a positive sign for a stretch-out to seven furlongs Saturday.

:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures

“He’s taken everything in stride,” Rivelli said. “He doesn’t need to do anything except what he’s already doing. He’s got a real high cruising speed. Baird said this horse could have gone around again at Woodbine.”

That would be E.T. Baird, the ageless 54-year-old jockey who came back from a long layoff this summer and has ridden a steady stream of winners. Baird’s been aboard One Timer in both his starts.

One Timer’s competition, if he has any, could come from Baladi, a Brendan Walsh-trained Godolphin homebred who debuted Aug. 8 at Ellis Park and won a 6 1/2-furlong dirt sprint with speed to spare.

Rivelli has two fillies in the Lassie, also contested at seven furlongs, with Shez Reckless likely stronger than Upside Down. Shez Reckless, by Daredevil, went to the lead and won her only start, a June 26 Arlington maiden race, and has been “training unbelievable,” according to Rivelli.

But it’s trainer Michele Boyce who holds the strongest hand in the Lassie. Boyce entered Plus Chic and Purr Sea, both eye-catching debut winners earlier this meet. Illinois-bred Purr Sea, bred and owned by Steve and Diane Holland, showed good speed and crushed a group of Illinois-bred maidens, winning her July 29 debut by more than 13 lengths. Plus Chic, also bred and owned by the Holllands, whose nom de course is S.D. Brilie Limited Partnership, was less flashy winning her debut Aug. 1, but beat open maidens, rather than Illinois-breds, by more than three lengths in a turf sprint. Boyce, at least a couple weeks ago, rated Plus Chic slightly higher than Purr Sea, but both fillies appear capable.