Valdivia gets taste of Royal Ascot

Jose Valdivia Jr. could only finish ninth in the Coventry Stakes on June 14 at Royal Ascot, but he still was grateful for the chance to ride a race at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting.

“Other than the weather, it was unbelievable. The atmosphere of the place was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” said Valdivia, who won the Belmont Stakes in 2011 and the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 2001. “When they talk about the sport of kings, that’s what it’s like. After riding there, you want to keep coming back every year. Now I know what Wesley means when he says he goes for that.”

Wesley is trainer Wesley Ward, for whom Valdivia rode Silvertoni, a 2-year-old who was uncomfortable on the soft ground he caught overseas. It was Ward who set up a struggling Valdivia at Arlington for the 2015 meet and changed the trajectory of his career. Valdivia won the riding title here last year and is well on his way to winning it again, with a 37-23 lead in the standings over Mitchell Murrill through Sunday.

“I’ve got no complaints,” Valdivia said. “Business is good.”

Chicago Handicap lures 10

A field of 10 was entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Chicago Handicap for fillies and mares over seven furlongs on Polytrack.

The entrants, from the rail out, are Run Zippy Run, City of Trix, You Bought Her, Sweetsoutherndame, Sarah Sis, Kathballu, Athena, Minks Aprise, Seeking Treasure, and Tiz Lately. Kathballu and Athena are cross-entered in an overnight stakes at Churchill. Minks Aprise is trained by Michael Dickinson, who has not run a horse at Arlington since 2003.