Pasadena contender Arcature will focus on turf races
ARCADIA, Calif. – Of the six runners in Sunday’s $75,000 Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita, Arcature is the only one not nominated to the Triple Crown.
Those races are not currently in the thoughts of owner Arnold Zetcher and trainer Simon Callaghan.
“I think we’ll go the turf route,” Callaghan said on Friday.
Arcature won his debut in a maiden race on turf at Del Mar last summer, closing from eighth in a field of 10 to win by a half-length. He has not started since.
“He had a little bit of bone bruising, and we gave him time off for that,” Callaghan said. “I think he’s ready to run a nice comeback race.”
Arcature, by Archarcharch, was purchased for $250,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. sale of 2-year-olds in training last April.
In the Pasadena, Arcature must beat the proven turf runner Dressed in Hermes, who has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $171,600. Trained by Janet Armstrong for Budget Stable, Dressed in Hermes has won two stakes on turf, including the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at a mile at Del Mar in November. In his lone start this year, Dressed in Hermes was fourth in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the main track Feb. 6.
Dressed in Hermes drew the rail and is the only stakes winner in the field. Aside from Arcature, the Pasadena will be the stakes debut for It’s The Ice and Mr. Roary. Marqala and Sorryaboutnothing have been beaten in stakes and will have their first starts on turf Sunday.