Synchrony fresh for Arlington Handicap

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Mike Stidham stable brimmed with confidence when Synchrony made his first start back from a long layoff in the Fair Grounds Handicap last February. The 5-year-old grass horse trained with a verve, Stidham said at the time, that he’d rarely seen from one of his charges.

Synchrony won that race, won the $300,000 Muniz Memorial in his next start, and comes into Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Arlington Handicap freshened up following a solid third-place finish May 5 at Churchill Downs in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic. And Synchrony, training at Fair Hill before being shipped to Arlington this week, has been showing the same signs as he was last winter.

“He’s been training very, very well since that last race,” Stidham said.

There is one major difference between February and July: Synchrony was a juicy 9-2 in the Fair Grounds Handicap, but he’s the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the 1 3/16-mile Arlington Handicap. He breaks from post 3 under Joe Bravo as the 122-pound highweight in what his connections hope is a stepping-stone to the Arlington Million. Divisidero, drawn wide in post 11, is Synchrony’s most obvious rival, though there 10 others in the Handicap.

Huge fields are the order of the day on a very appealing five-stakes Arlington program. Also carded are three other Grade 3 turf races – the Modesty, American Derby, and Stars and Stripes – as well as the $100,000 Hatoof. Only the American Derby, with eight entrants, drew fewer than 12 runners among the stakes, and more than 120 horses are entered on a 10-race card with a 1:20 p.m. Central first post. The weather looks as good as the card – clear with an 80-degree high temperature.

KEY CONTENDERS

Synchrony, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 98-103-102

◗ Lightly raced 5-year-old only switched to turf last year, ran three good races, had some niggling problems, and was given a good, long rest to get totally right. The Pin Oak homebred has rewarded his connections’ patience by coming back as an elite turf horse this year.

◗ Came from 10th in the Fair Grounds Handicap but stuck closer to the pace in the Muniz. The horse is versatile with a big turn of foot.

◗ Has yet to race beyond 1 1/8 miles, but Stidham believes the distance will only help his horse. “We’re pretty sure that’s not going to be a problem for him,” he said.

◗ Managed a third in the Turf Classic despite, Stidham said, struggling over a very wet course.

Divisidero, by Kitten’s Joy
Last 3 Beyers: 98-102-100

◗ Multiple Grade 1 winner over nine furlongs is 4-0-0-0 in races longer than that.

◗ Put in a strong comeback race at Monmouth two starts ago in his first race since being moved into the barn of Fair Hill-based trainer Kelly Rubley.

◗ The fourth-place finish last out in the Wise Dan at Churchill (his favorite course) underrates his performance there. He was badly shuffled back to last on the far turn before coming home faster than any of his rivals.

Just Howard, by English Channel
Last 3 Beyers: 84-81-90

◗ He is better than his last three races show. His 2018 debut was rained off turf, and trainer Graham Motion said he probably pushed on too far last year by running him in the Hollywood Derby and the Twilight Derby after Just Howard won the Grade 3 Commonwealth.

“This spot is coming up tough, but I like the distance, and he’s a fresh horse,” Motion said.