Lissa's Star Favored in Friday's Opening Day Feature at Arlington

In Today's Notes:

• Lissa's Star Favored in Friday's Opening Day Feature at Arlington
• Other Opening Weekend Activities at Arlington Park
• Arlington Heights Community Days

LISSA'S STAR FAVORED IN FRIDAY'S OPENING DAY FEATURE AT ARLINGTON
John Carman's Lissa's Star, 10-length winner of Hawthorne's $51,000 Hula Chief Stakes in his last start March 14, will shoot for his fourth straight tally Friday and has been installed as the 5-2 morning line choice in the $50,000 Timeless Native Stakes on opening day of Arlington Park's 2009 season.

Chicago's historic Northwest suburban oval, which first opened its doors in 1927, will run a 98-day summer session through Sept. 27. Also of note, this summer session celebrates the 20th anniversary of the new Arlington Park facility, which opened in June of 1989.

Trained by Roger Brueggemann, Lissa's Star will be ridden by Inez Karlsson, astride for all three of the Texas-bred gelding's recent victories. In the Hula Chief, Lissa's Star pressed the pace briefly before drawing off late in that six-furlong test, but will be asked to extend that speed for a mile in Friday's Timeless Native.

Capable of providing strong competition for Lissa's Star is Louie Roussel III and Ronnie Lamarque's Recapturetheglory, winner of the 2008 Grade II Illinois Derby and fifth in last year's Kentucky Derby, but most recently a 2 ¼-length winner at Hawthorne April 9 when going a mile and a sixteenth. Eddie Perez will be in the irons aboard the Roussel trainee.

Coragil Cat cannot be discounted in Friday's featured event. Owned by Jim Tafel, whose colors adorned 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, Coragil Cat won last year's Timeless Native with Diego Sanchez aboard, and that Spanish-born reinsman will be in the tack again.

Completing the field for Friday's feature is Hugh Robertson's Mr. Soul, Fernando Jara up; Numismatist, Eddie Razo; Lovango, Rene Douglas; and Hurta, Tim Thornton.

The last named won four straight before finishing third in Hawthorne's $52,000 Bonasera Stakes April 11 as the odds-on choice of the fans.

OTHER OPENING WEEKEND ACTIVITIES AT ARLINGTON PARK
Arlington Park's 2009 race season kicks off on Kentucky Derby weekend, and will feature a full card of 12 races on Saturday's Kentucky Derby Day. Gates open early at 9:15 a.m. for Twin Spires Club members and at 10:45 a.m. for all other guests, with Arlington's live racing beginning at 12:15 p.m.

Live music will be offered in the Park Area with the rock band I. R. S. performing on the Miller Lite Band Stage.

Derby Day will also feature the return of the American Airlines Summer Sweeps with two round-trip airfares to a destination in the continental U. S. available to the winners.

Also new for 2009, free photography will be offered throughout the weekend, with Arlington guest and their friends being able to pose for commemorative pictures.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS COMMUNITY DAYS
Opening Weekend is also Arlington Heights Community Appreciation Weekend. On Saturday Arlington Heights residents are eligible for a special reserved box seat and Clubhouse Combo lunch package, or two complimentary general admission tickets.