Into Trouble takes Arlington-Washington Lassie, Big Drink of Water in Futurity
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Big Drink of Water won the $75,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity on Saturday at what might be the far end of his stamina. Into Trouble won the $75,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie like she was just getting warmed up.
Both races were contested at seven furlongs. Big Drink of Water could be hard-pressed to go any farther than that and might prove best as a true sprinter, but Into Trouble might prove to be a route horse. And with two wins from two starts – her debut on dirt, and the Lassie on Polytrack – Into Trouble has the makings of a very useful filly for owner Donamire Farm and trainer Ben Colebrook.
“She’s real laid back,” Colebrook said, reached by phone in Kentucky. “Early on working half-miles she just was okay, but when we got her out to five-eighths or three-quarters, then you started to see it. She’s so big it takes her awhile to get going.”
Into Trouble barely lifted her head in the paddock and acted the same for jockey Chris Emigh, who picked up the mount on the filly only when the race was drawn, out on the track.
“She warmed up okay but kind of wasn’t paying attention in the gate. I told the gate crew, ‘Watch out, boys, she’s sleeping.’ She just kind of fell out of there, broke real slow,” Emigh said.
Into Trouble raced last as Thunderous Gem dashed to the front to set splits of 22.81 and 46.52. Winning Envelope, the 6-5 favorite, had broken like a rocket and gone to the front in her career debut and lone start, but Saturday she was away a half-beat slow and off the pace, and that didn’t work at all. Winning Envelope chased and faded as second choice Meadow Dance loomed three wide before failing to sustain her bid.
But Into Trouble was sustaining just fine. Running right through some wicked Polytrack kickback while rallying along the inside, Into Trouble came off the fence before the quarter pole to go around a tiring Craft Show, was steered wider still into the homestretch, split horses at the furlong grounds, and ran on to a decisive 2 3/4-length score. And even on the way to victory, Into Trouble stayed cool and collected.
“She was just galloping,” Emigh said. “She’s got that long stride and didn’t turn a hair. I didn’t even ask her to really run. It was an easy hand ride. She didn’t even take a deep breath. She was covering a lot of ground without even trying.”
Into Trouble paid $30.40 and was timed in 1:24.97 over slow-playing Polytrack that favored front-runners most of the card. Thunderous Gem held a clear second with Meadow Dance home third. Into Trouble was given a 68 Beyer Speed Figure.
Into Trouble, a $180,000 yearling purchase, is by Into Mischief and out of the Benchmark mare, Smooth Performer. Into Trouble won her debut over Ellis Park’s dirt track and Colebreook said his main concern Saturday was with Arlington’s synthetic surface. If all goes well, Into Trouble will start next in the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland.
As for Big Drink of Water, Vince Foglia’s Patricia’s Hope LLC purchased him after he won the Victoria Stakes on July 14 at Woodbine in great part to try and take the Futurity at Foglia’s home track.
“We bought the horse for this race. It’s nice when a plan works out,” said trainer Larry Rivelli.
Rivelli’s plan Saturday was to send Big Drink of Water to the lead, but Hide the Demon was gunned to the front leaving jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. to make a new plan.
“I didn’t jack my horse away from there because I didn’t want him to run off,” Valdivia said. “My horse is very smart, very kind, and he just kind of shut it off.”
Hide the Demon, who was much too keen early, went a quarter-mile in 23.11 seconds and made it through a half in 46.47 before caving. Big Drink of Water took over and held firm when Distant Shore got clear and took a run at him in late stretch.
“He ran a nice race,” trainer Tom Amoss said of Distant Shore. “I wish we’d gotten out a little bit earlier turning for home, but the winner was the best horse.”
Distant Shore finished 4 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Knicks Go. Big Drink of Water paid $4.20 to win as the favorite and was timed in 1:25.20 for the seven furlongs. Big Drink of Water was given 65 Beyer Speed Figure.
Big Drink of Water, a gelding, is by Soldat out of Vindi Princess, by Vindication, and he won for the third time in four starts. Rivelli said he has no plans to stretch the horse out and will look for one-turn races on turf or synthetic.