The Pizza Man sharp for Arlington Handicap

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The year has started somewhat slowly for Work All Week, one of two graded stakes performers for the sprawling Midwest Thoroughbreds operation of Rich and Karen Papiese. But the other Midwest star of 2014, The Pizza Man, popped back into action this season in excellent form, winning the May 30 Opening Verse Stakes here by 2 1/2 lengths. Off that performance and last year’s form, he is one of the favorites Saturday in the Arlington Handicap.

The Arlington Handicap is one of four turf stakes on Million Preview Day, along with the Modesty, the American Derby, and the Stars and Stripes. All are Grade 3 races and carry a purse of $100,000. For the money, at least three of the stakes, excluding the American Derby, came up pretty tough and fairly deep. The first, second, and third finishers in the stakes have entry fees waived for corresponding Million Day races – the Million, Beverly D., Secretariat, and American St. Leger. The Arlington turf course, which is in great shape, could be wet Saturday, with rain possible Friday and into Saturday.

The Pizza Man won the American St. Leger over about 1 11/16 miles on the Million Day card last year, but his connections have designs this year on the Million, according to Rich Papiese. The Pizza Man was cross-entered in the Arlington Handicap over 10 furlongs and the Stars and Stripes over 12 but is more likely for the Handicap.

“The Handicap is more likely, but either way, it’s probably a prep for the Million,” said Papiese.

Third behind The Pizza Man in the Opening Verse was Departing, who returned to win the Firecracker at Churchill, flattering The Pizza Man.

The others in the Handicap are Coco Mon, Dramedy, Looks to Spare, Middleburg, Quiet Force, R Great Adventure, Triple Threat, Up With the Birds, and Yankee Dealer. Dramedy is cross-entered in the Stars and Stripes and expected to run there. Yankee Dealer also has an entry in the Stars and Stripes. Up With the Birds, fourth in the 2014 Million, was third in the Dixie at Pimlico in his 2015 debut and should be well supported.

The entrants in the Modesty, for fillies and mares over 1 3/16 miles, are Gaga A, Honey Lake, Lots o Lex, Mango Diva, Notte d’Oro, Overheard, Riposte, Rock Me Mama, Seeking Treasure, and Walk Close. Riposte would have swamped this bunch in her top 2014 form, but she’s been a shadow of her best this season. Gaga A, a Uruguayan-bred imported from France, won her North American debut in listed-stakes company last out in California for trainer Neil Drysdale.

There’s an overabundance of stakes races in the 3-year-old turf division, and the American Derby suffers accordingly. A field of seven, headed by Crittenden, Nun the Less, and World Approval, was entered in the nine-furlong race.

The Stars and Stripes drew Afortable, Calvados, Castlederg, Dramedy, For Greater Glory, Mister Marti Gras, Roman Approval, The Pizza Man, Three Hearts, Xtra Luck, and Yankee Dealer. Dramedy won the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland last out, while Xtra Luck captured the Grade 3 Louisville at Churchill in his last race.

The stakes go as races 5-8 on the Saturday card, and all are included in a 50-cent pick four wager.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the Stars and Stripes is not a graded race. It is a Grade 3 race.