Arrifana (Curlin) looks to take her perfect record to five-for-five and earn her black-type badge in Friday's GIII Comely S. at Aqueduct. Graduating by 10 lengths on debut at Laurel Aug. 1, the 'TDN Rising Star' captured an allowance at Saratoga next out Aug. 31. A dominant winner back at Laurel Sept. 28, the bay remained perfect in a 1 1/16-mile test there Nov. 1 and enters off a bullet half-mile in :48 1/5 (1/10) over the Fair Hill synthetic Nov. 22.
Gold Standard (Medaglia d'Oro) also seeks her first black-type victory after finishing second in the GIII Remington Park Oaks last time Sept. 29. Hitting the board in her first two attempts on turf this spring, she donned cap and gown by 7 1/2 lengths in a sloppy off-the-turfer at Churchill June 8 and romped by nine lengths in an Ellis Park optional claimer July 21. The $1.2-million FTFMAR buy won another Ellis event Sept. 2 prior to her effort at Remington.
Bellera (Bernardini) looks to get back on track after losing her rider at the start of this venue's GIII Turnback the Alarm H. Nov. 2 and running loose throughout. A second-out graduate at Monmouth Park in July, the bay captured a sloppy Saratoga optional claimer over this distance Aug. 21 and missed by a neck next out at Keeneland Oct. 6.
Another of interest is Stand for the Flag (Super Saver), who enters off back-to-back wins. She earned her diploma at third asking in the slop at Belmont Sept. 6 and won a Parx allowance next out Oct. 15.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
