Wellabled, Star Empire favorites for Arlington-Washington Futurity

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Twelve 2-year-olds, topped by Wellabled and Star Empire, were entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity, the final stakes race of the 2016 Arlington meet.

The Futurity is carded as the last eight races Saturday and is immediately preceded by the $75,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie, which also lured 12 entrants and looks wildly competitive.

Wellabled impressively won his career debut sprinting on Arlington’s Polytrack on July 9, was sent to Saratoga while being pointed to the Saratoga Special by trainer Larry Rivelli, failed to work well on dirt there, and wound up finishing second by a head Aug. 19 in the $100,000 Skidmore, a turf sprint. E.T. Baird, aboard for the maiden win, has the mount Saturday and will break his speedy mount from post 7 in the seven-furlong race.

Star Empire, trained by Wesley Ward, drew post 9 and has Gulfstream-based jockey Tyler Gaffalione named to ride. Star Empire debuted May 19 at Belmont and won a five-furlong dirt race by 6 1/2 lengths and then was being pointed to the Royal Ascot meet, Ward said. But Star Empire wound up not making the trip overseas and instead returned to action Aug. 9 at Presque Isle Downs, where he won a 6 1/2-furlong, first-level allowance race over the Tapeta surface there.

◗ There is one non-claiming race on Friday’s eight-race card, the finale, a first-level allowance race for fillies and mares at one mile on grass. There appears to be a decent amount of pace entered, good news for the late-running Wild Gambler, an 8-year-old mare whose career was rejuvenated last summer by a switch to turf racing.

Speak Up Sailor, one of two Chris Block-trained entrants along with Clare View, is the potential race favorite, with Liar’s Smoker and Born to Be Winner – both pace factors – also likely to take betting.