Wellabled back home for Arlington-Washington Futurity

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Wellabled didn’t take to the main track at Saratoga, ruling out an intended start in the Saratoga Special. Instead, he raced there on turf in the $100,000 Skidmore Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 19, setting a frantic pace before getting nailed on the wire and finishing second.

But now Wellabled is back on Arlington’s Polytrack, over which he scored a sharp debut win this summer, and he is set to start next Saturday in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity.

Wellabled, in his first workout since returning to Arlington from New York, breezed six furlongs in 1:12 on Monday.

“He worked unbelievable, really, really good,” said trainer Larry Rivelli.

Wellabled, by Shackleford, debuted July 7, setting a quick pace en route to a 7 1/2-length win in a five-furlong maiden race on Polytrack here. He ran similarly in the Skidmore, going straight to the front and showing brilliant speed, but has yet to demonstrate more than raw brilliance in the afternoon, and it remains to be seen if he can ration his speed enough to get the Futurity’s seven furlongs, though Rivelli thinks Wellabled will stay the trip.

“Six, 6 1/2, or seven furlongs should be okay,” Rivelli said. “Two turns, I don’t know. I was disappointed in his last race. He went too fast, and I think he got a little bit lost out there.”

Rivelli earlier this meet unveiled another good-looking debut winner by Shackleford, the 2-year-old filly Shackin Up, who won a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race on May 28 by almost nine lengths but quickly went to the sidelines with sore shins. Rivelli said Shackin Up is back in training in south Florida but won’t be ready to race again until late this year.