Sophomores Take to Turf in Chicago

With the first two legs of the Triple Crown in the books and two more weeks until the GI Belmont S., the sophomore set takes to the turf to contest the GIII Arlington Classic Saturday. Leading the way at 5-2 on the morning line is Edward Seltzer and Beverley Anderson homebred Surgical Strike (Red Giant). The bay annexed Turfway's John Battaglia Memorial S. Mar. 12, and came with a very wide rush to be third, beaten a half length, in that venue's GIII Spiral S. Apr. 2. Returned to the sod and let go at 15-1 in the GII American Turf S. on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard May 7, the Ben Colebrook pupil again came with his run in the lane, but settled for third behind the lightly raced pair of Camelot Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and 'TDN Rising Star' Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid). Surgical Strike dons first-time blinkers for this, and if that helps him get into the race more early, he could prove doubly dangerous.

Two Step Time (Two Step Salsa) was second in the OBS Championship S. in January before taking the grassy Texas Heritage S. at Sam Houston the following month. He finished a neck back of Surgical Strike when fourth in the Spiral, but couldn't overcome a rough start and wide trip, checking in 11th of 13 in the American Turf.

Tequila Joe (Stormy Atlantic) steps into graded company for the second time in his career, and his connections will hope for a better result this time. A visually impressive first-up graduate at Del Mar early last September, the $180,000 OBS April grad failed to land a blow over yielding Keeneland sod in the GIII Bourbon S. a month later. He turned in another midpack performance in a Keeneland allowance Oct. 23 in which Surgical Strike was a neck second, but resurfaced in Lexington Apr. 29 looking like the horse he seemed to be after his unveiling. Dismissed at 13-1 for that 9 1/2-panel affair, Tequila Joe drafted from the pocket and gamely ran down a clear leader in the lane to score by a widening three lengths.

The precocious Cocked and Loaded (Colonel John) won the Tremont S. sprinting and GIII Iroquois S. going long last term before finishing a decent fifth behind Nyquist (Uncle Mo) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Halloween. He finished a distant third of four behind still0undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the sloppy seven-furlong GIII Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct Apr. 9, and was beaten nearly 20 lengths when last but one in the GIII Pat Day Mile one race after the aforementioned American Turf. The first-time turfer matched Tequila Joe's 1:02 clocking with the dogs up in a May 22 drill over the local sod.