In Lingerie defeats elders in Spinster Stakes

Three-year-old filly In Lingerie rallied from fourth to defeat a good field of older mares in the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) on Sunday afternoon at Keeneland.

Ridden to victory by John Velazquez, In Lingerie broke alertly and settled back about two lengths from the lead as Juanita rattled off fractions of :24.20, :47.97, and 1:12.41. Karlovy Vary and Starformer were her closest pursuers, while Mystical Star and Upperline were racing in mid-pack. Disposablepleasure, Aruna, Kitty in a Tizzy, and Tiz Miz Sue were the early trailers.

Turning for home, Mystical Star moved up to take over the advantage, but In Lingerie was finishing up strongly and took command of the lead just inside the eighth pole. Under steady urging from Velazquez, the filly drew off strongly in the final hundred yards or so to win by two lengths in 1:49.42 seconds.

Mystical Star finished second, slightly more than two lengths clear of third-place finisher Upperline. Starformer, Tiz Miz Sue, Aruna, Kitty in a Tizzy, Karlovy Vary, Juanita, and Disposablepleasure completed the order of finish.

The winner is a daughter of Empire Maker out of the Storm Cat mare Cat Chat. Trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber, In Lingerie has now won seven of her four starts, with two seconds and a third. She has earned $712,265.

-Keelerman

Juddmonte Spinster Stakes Entries: Aruna goes for repeat victory

2011 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) winner Aruna will look to secure a repeat victory in the prestigious $500,000 race when she heads to post against twelve others on Sunday at Keeneland.

Trained by Graham Motion, Aruna has had an on-and-off season this year, winning only the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. II) while disappointing in races like the Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. I) and Beverly D. Stakes (gr. I). But she has had more than her share of excuses for her poor showings, and assuming she is able to avoid traffic, a repeat victory in the Spinster is will within her capabilities.

Other contenders in this extremely deep field include grade I winners Summer Soiree and Karlovy Vary, as well as grade II and III victors Juanita, In Lingerie, Tiz Miz Sue, Upperline, Smart Sting, Starfomer, Mystical Star, and Kitty in a Tizzy.

Post Positions:
1 Disposablepleasure
2 Juanita
3 Aruna
4 Summer Soiree
5 In Lingerie
6 Tiz Miz Sue
7 Upperline
8 Nefertini
9 Smart Sting
10 Starformer
11 Mystical Star
12 Karlovy Vary
13 Kitty in a Tizzy

-Keelerman

I'M A DREAMER WINS THE BEVERLY D. STAKES!

European shipper I'm A Dreamer picked up her first victory in more than a year when she rallied from off-the-pace to win the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. I) on Saturday afternoon at Arlington Park.

Ridden to victory by Hayley Turner, I'm A Dreamer did not get off to a very quick start, and soon found herself racing in seventh place as Romacaca and Up led the way through moderate fractions of :23.67 and :48.40. Joviality and Upperline were also close to the pace, with Marketing Mix and Kapitale right behind them. Stars to Shine, Mystical Star, and Aruna were the early trailers, with the latter filly having stumbled at the start.

Romacaca and Up continued their duel through three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.54, and the two fillies rounded the final turn and entered the homestretch still locked together for command of the race. Even passing the eighth pole they were still on the lead, but their early efforts left them with little in the tank to hold off the closers. First in line to attack was Joviality, who burst clear of the leaders inside the eighth pole to seize command of the lead. But she herself was quickly surpassed by I'm A Dreamer, who rallied on the far outside to secure the lead in deep stretch. Then Marketing Mix put in a terrific finish on the far outside and appeared likely to win, but the wire came just in time for I'm A Dreamer, who held off the challenge by a head to win the 1 3/16th miles race in 1:55.29 seconds.

Joviality held off a late surge from Kapitale to finished third by 1 3/4 lengths, while Upperline, Up, Romacaca, Mystical Star, Stars to Shine, and Aruna completed the order of finish.

The winner is owned by Andrew Stone and trained by David Simcock.

-Keelerman

Beverly D. Stakes Entries and Post Positions

Here are the entries and post positions for the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. I), to be run on Saturday at Arlington Park. The prestigious 1 3/16th miles turf race has drawn a large and competitive field of ten, led by 2011 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) winner Aruna, four-time graded stakes winner Marketing Mix, Modesty Handicap (gr. III) winner Romacaca, two-time Arlington stakes winner Upperline, and the Aidan O'Brien-trainee Up.

1 Kapitale
2 I'm A Dreamer
3 Romacaca
4 Upperline
5 Mystical Star
6 Up
7 Aruna
8 Marketing Mix
9 Stars to Shine
10 Joviality

-Keelerman

ROMACACA WINS THE MODESTY HANDICAP!

Romacaca held off Snow Top Mountain in a thrilling stretch drive to win the $200,000 Modesty Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park by a determined neck.

Under a perfect ride from Francisco Torres, Romacaca broke quickly and settled into the second position early on, just behind pace-setting She's All In. Together, the pair set slow fractions of :23.92, :49.62, and 1:14.37 while being pursued by Upperline and Pathway, with Snow Top Mountain, Smart Sting, and Bizzy Caroline trailing the field.

She's All In and Romacaca continued with their uncontested pace around the far turn, after which She's All In gave way and left Romacaca alone on the lead. However, she would not be alone for long, as Snow Top Mountain rallied into contention on the far outside to engage the leader for command of the race. The two put on an amazing show throughout the homestretch, with Romacaca eventually holding off her rival to win by a neck. The final time for 1 3/16th miles on turf was 1:56.67 seconds.

Upperline finished third, followed by Smart Sting, Bizzy Caroline, She's All In, and Pathway. The winner is owned by Frank Carl Calabrese and trained by Danny Miller.

-Keelerman

Modesty Handicap Entries and Post Positions

Here are the entries and post positions for the $200,000 Modesty Handicap (gr. III), to be run on Saturday at Arlington Park. The 9.5-furlong turf race for fillies and mares is a local prep for the upcoming Beverly D Stakes (gr. I) here at Arlington, and has thus drawn some of the top contenders for that race, including two-time Arlington graded stakes winner Upperline, Edward P. Evans All Along Stakes (gr. III) winner Snow Top Mountain, and the promising Smart Sting.

1 She's All In
2 Upperline
3 Snow Top Mountain
4 Trac N Jam
5 Bizzy Caroline
6 Smart Sting
7 Romacaca
8 Pathway

-Keelerman