Surgical Strike gets blinkers for Arlington Classic

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Arlington Classic is more like an experiment laboratory than an operating table for the 3-year-old Surgical Strike.

His connections first want to determine if he might be good enough to try in the $1 million Belmont Derby this summer, and, second, to see what effect the addition of blinkers might have on the colt.

The betting public, nonetheless, is likely to make Surgical Strike and jockey James Graham the favorite in the Grade 3, $100,000 Arlington Classic, a 1 1/16-mile grass race for 3-year-olds and one of two stakes on the Saturday card, along with the Grade 3 Arlington Matron.

Surgical Strike is one of 12 entered in the Classic, though Candy My Boy, a major pace player, was cross-entered in a Sunday allowance race at Churchill Downs. Tequila Joe, who looks like a serious contender based on a first-level turf allowance romp last out at Keeneland, took the worst of things at the draw, landing post 12.

KEY CONTENDERS

Surgical Strike, by Red Giant
Last 3 Beyers: 88-81-75

◗ Trainer Ben Colebrook said the Pennine Ridge at Belmont was another option for Surgical Strike, but the prospect of a race closer to his Kentucky base appealed, as did the Classic’s being run on Polytrack, which Surgical Strike has proven to handle, should the race be rained off turf. “I have no concerns about soft turf, and I don’t mind if it comes off either,” Colebrook said.

◗ Fourteen lengths behind the leader in the American Turf on Derby Day at Churchill, Surgical Strike rallied for a close third, deep-closing tactics that have become a habit for Surgical Strike. Colebrook is hoping the addition of blinkers will break that habit. “I’ve been toying with putting them on for a while to see if that might keep him a little closer,” Colebrook said. “Maybe he can be in the second pack instead of getting so far out of it.”

Tequila Joe, by Stormy Atlantic
Last 3 Beyers: 83-71-67

◗ Looked like a horse who had improved substantially over the winter when he made his 3-year-old debut last month at Keeneland, an impression trainer Mike Stidham confirmed. “He’s like a different horse: bigger, stronger, mentally more focused,” Stidham said.

Cocked and Loaded, by Colonel JohnLast 3 Beyers: 62-82-83

◗ Ran the worst race of his life at Churchill on Derby Day, finishing 13th in the Pat Day Mile, but trainer Larry Rivelli said Cocked and Loaded got his tongue over the bit partway through and might have swallowed it. “I’d never run in him in a tongue tie before,” Rivelli said.

◗ Close fifth-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile makes his turf debut. “I worked him on turf the other day, and he worked like a monster,” said Rivelli.

Yo Carm, by Flatter
Last 3 Beyers: 72-73-55

◗ Longshot won his maiden well over a wet Arlington course last season and didn’t have a great trip when finishing fifth in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, a race he probably needed. “That horse is doing really good right now,” said trainer Chris Block.