Trippi Street tries elders off easy win

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Considering that six- and seven-horse fields have been the norm lately at Arlington Park, the nine for Monday's Safely Kept Stakes is a pretty good number. And considering how soft the form was in Arlington's three weekend stakes - one graded, the other two of the overnight variety - the quality of the Safely Kept is pretty high.

Too high for Trippi Street? That's one major question in the $40,000 Safely Kept, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. And that age thing is part of the Trippi Street puzzle. After winning her career debut last fall at Hawthorne by nine lengths, Trippi Street finished a troubled second in the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill, then went on a long injury-related break. She returned Aug. 2 with the easiest kind of win, but she beat only four rivals in an entry-level allowance, and now, at 3, and with only three starts, Trippi Street tackles solid older horses.

"I think there's a good chance she can win it, and that's why we're in it," said Wayne Catalano, who trains Trippi Street for Darrell and Evelyn Yates.

What can't Catalano win? From Aug. 1 through Friday's races, his Arlington record is 16-8-5 from 38 starts; since Aug. 25, Catalano's won 7 of 11. Trippi Street just might be good enough to jump several notches in class while conceding experience - but that's not necessarily the kind of risk horseplayers want to incur at a short price.

The deserving favorite is Illinois-bred Bluesbdancing, who has won 8 of 12 career starts - and 4 of 6 at Arlington - for trainer Terrel Gore and owners Bob and Nancy Bartels. Her last start came June 24, when she nipped Pretty Jenny - another Safely Kept Starter - in the Isaac Murphy Handicap. Bluesb-

dancing's short layoff has nothing to do with her well being and everything to do with a lack of racing opportunities, said Gore.

"We really didn't have anything to run in, so it was kind of a forced break," he said.

Bluesbdancing stalks and pounces, and can get that kind of trip Monday. Lady Dynasty and Red Cherries Spin may make a run for the lead, and Bluesbdan-cing could slip into a good spot just behind the speed. She figures to be on or near the lead somewhere in the stretch, but may have to hold off Trippi Street, Pretty Jenny, or even Dimple Pinch and Tax Refund, two other closers with a chance.