Recapturetheglory all too obvious

STICKNEY, Ill. - A few years ago, the tote board at Arlington Park caught fire out of the blue. Hawthorne better watch out on Thursday - the win betting on Recapturetheglory in the featured fourth race could get hot enough to fry the circuits.

Recapturetheglory scored a narrow maiden win here in November 2007, and the next spring he was back with a romping four-length win in the $500,000 Illinois Derby. Thursday's appearance comes in a second-level two-turn allowance race; can you say 1-9?

Recapturetheglory slots into this spot only because of developments at a Louisiana laboratory. Post-race specimens drawn from the horse after a March 8 victory at Fair Grounds turned up a positive for the tranquilizer acepromazine, and Recapturetheglory was disqualified from a 2 3/4-length victory in a second-level allowance race there, and trainer Louie Roussel handed a $1,000 fine.

Recapturetheglory might not be quite as good as his Illinois Derby victory suggested, but he should be plenty good enough for Thursday's race. He followed up on the Illinois Derby. win here last spring with a solid enough fifth of 20 in the Kentucky Derby, but things subsequently went downhill. Recapturetheglory chipped a knee while finishing ninth in the Aug. 2 West Virginia Derby, and didn't race again until February. Third over a sloppy track in his comeback, Recapturetheglory improved markedly in the race from which he was disqualified. Roussel said afterward that the May 23 Hanshin at Arlington was one possible late-spring goal, and Thursday's race might be a good way to get him there.

Recapturetheglory led all the way winning the Illinois Derby, but though he is drawn on the rail Thursday, Eddie Perez - who rides for the first time - might opt to take him off the pace. PDQ Kiddo, El Medwar, and Gathering Kings all figure to show early speed, and Recapturetheglory rated in third after breaking from the rail in his last start.

Roussel also could figure prominently in race 7, a competitive-looking entry-level allowance sprint in which he has a coupled entry of Cool Lion and Good to Great. Cool Lion should improve once he returns to Arlington's Polytrack, where he won well last summer, but Good to Great has a chance Thursday. He won well from off the pace in his career debut March 15, and probably has room to improve in this start. With several front-end types entered, late-running Breaking News also figures.