Chicago's Giant Oak Gets Good Gallop for American Derby

In Today's Notes: 

• Chicago's Giant Oak Gets Good Gallop for American Derby
• Additional American Derby Updates
• Arlington Handicap's Plan off the Van; Gets Thursday Breeze
• Steward Arroyo Catches Loose Horse in Paddock
• Team Block, Trainer DiVito and Jockey Karlsson Honored

 CHICAGO'S GIANT OAK GETS GOOD GALLOP FOR AMERICAN DERBY
Virginia Tarra Trust's Giant Oak, winner of the 75th anniversary edition of the Arlington Classic May 23, completed his preparations for Saturday's Grade II American Derby - next leg of Arlington's Mid-America Triple - with an impressive gallop Thursday morning over the local Polytrack surface.

"He looked very good this morning," said Bobby Belpedio, head clocker for the State of Illinois and a dependable observer of how horses train as well as what times they tick off on the clock.  "I was very impressed with how he went this morning.  He's ready for a top effort."

Giant Oak accomplished his last serious work Monday morning over Arlington's grass course, getting early splits of :13.60, :25.80; :38 and :50.60 before galloping out three-quarters in 1:15.80 with regular rider Eddie Razo in the irons.

The Illinois-bred son of Giant's Causeway is trained by Chris Block, a native of Champaign, Illinois, and the colt is owned by Rudy and Virginia Tarra of Orland Park.  He is seeking to become the first horse to sweep the Mid-America Triple since Robert Schaedle III's Honor Glide accomplished the feat in 1997.  The sophomore series concludes with the Grade I Secretariat Stakes on Arlington Million Day Aug. 8.

Also on the graded stakes menu for Saturday's Million Preview Day is the Grade III Arlington Handicap as a final local prep for the Grade I Arlington Million, and the Grade III Modesty Handicap as Chicago's preview for the Grade I Beverly D. during Arlington's one-day International Festival of Racing.

Flying Zee Stable's Cosmonaut, a two-time winner of the Arlington Handicap, has been made the tepid 3-1 morning line favorite for Saturday's renewal, while Lewis Lakin Pure Clan, second by a neck in Churchill's Grade III Mint Julep Handicap June 6 in her first start this year, assumes the favorite's mantel at a projected 2-1 in the Modesty ‘Cap.

Cosmonaut, now trained by Phil Serpe, has arrived in Chicago and is stabled at Arlington Park's Barn 1.

ADDITIONAL AMERICAN DERBY UPDATES
Kari Craddock's Dakota Gypsy, a six-length winner of his last start at Lone Star Park June 21 and a contestant for Saturday's Grade II American Derby, arrived at Arlington Wednesday evening and breezed a half-mile Thursday in :54.80 over a turf course listed as "yielding" with the "dogs" well out from the rail.

Dakota Gypsy, a son of 2001 Grade I Donn Handicap winner Horse Chestnut, is now under the tutelage of trainer Mike Stidham and is stabled in Arlington's Barn 24.

Roger Braugh Jr.'s Vaquero, also slated for the American Derby - Arlington's oldest stakes race observing its 95th running - has been stabled at Arlington's Stakes barn.  The homebred, unstarted since the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last fall, breezed three furlongs in  :35.60 over Keeneland's Polytrack Monday before leaving Kentucky.

ARLINGTON HANDICAP'S PLAN OFF THE VAN; GETS THURSDAY BREEZE
IEAH Stables and Pegasus Holding Group Stables' Plan, a contestant for Saturday's $200,000 Arlington Handicap, arrived in Chicago from his New York-based headquarters Wednesday evening and breezed three furlongs in :38 on the turf course Thursday morning while the "dogs" were well out from the rail and the turf was listed as "yielding."

Plan finished second in the 2008 Secretariat Stakes here, no match for Bertram and Diana Firestone's seven-length winner Winchester, but two and a-half-lengths in front of Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth's Tizdejavu, who was the clear winner of the American Derby four weeks earlier.  The Rick Dutrow trainee is stabled at trainer Wayne Catalano's Barn 16.

STEWARD ARROYO CATCHES LOOSE HORSE IN PADDOCK
Former jockey Eddie Arroyo, now chief state steward of the Illinois Racing Board, served as kind of foot-soldier outrider last week in the Arlington paddock when he caught a horse that had gotten loose from his handlers.

Asked about the incident clearly visible on the in-house television signal, Arroyo joked:  "I'm going to nominate myself for an Eclipse Award.  Surely, there can't be a lot of competition in the category of ‘Stewards Catching Horses in the Paddock.'"

TEAM BLOCK, TRAINER DIVITO AND JOCKEY KARLSSON HONORED
In ceremonies Sunday at Arlington, awards for owner, trainer and jockey of  the month of June were presented during races named individually in those respective categories.

Team Block was named June's Owner of the month, while red-hot trainer Jimmy DiVito was recognized as trainer of the month and jockey Inez Karlsson was recognized for her riding accomplishments in June.