Saturday’s Grade III Hanshin Cup Shaping Up Strong

In Today’s Notes:

· Saturday’s Grade III Hanshin Cup Shaping Up Strong

· Cubs Fan Coming to Arlington’s Inaugural American 1000 Guineas

· Trainer Kirby, Jockey Zimmerman Combine for Friday Triple

· Sunday’s Family Day Teaches Thoroughbred Care

SATURDAY’S GRADE III HANSHIN CUP SHAPING UP STRONG
It’s going to be a three-stakes Saturday at Arlington Park May 24, but the Grade III Hanshin Cup could be a hot topic once again this season with the Fires name burning.

Trainer Jinks Fires and his Hall of Fame jockey brother Earlie teamed up for Spotsgone’s $165 win payoff in the 2007 Hanshin, and Spotsgone appears headed back to defend his Hanshin title. This time, the Robert Yagos color bearer, who visited the Arlington winner’s circle once again in the $100,000 Sea o’ Erin last August 11 on Arlington Million Day, and one more time in Oaklawn’s $100,000 Essex Handicap this year on February 9, will not be such a longshot – especially if Earlie Fires returns in the irons.

At 61 years of age, Arlington’s all-time leading rider – a longtime resident of nearby Palatine – has already recorded two riding triples through the first nine days of the meeting.

Among those likely to oppose Spotsgone in the Hanshin is Team Block’s Fort Prado, hero of last year’s $100,000 Illinois Owners Stakes at Arlington and a horse who lost all chance in this year’s renewal May 3 when the victim of a horrible trip.

Another likely Hanshin starter at this time is Jim Tafel’s Coragil Cat, winner of Arlington’s $53,000 Timeless Native May 3, which was also Kentucky Derby Day.

Also pointing toward the Hanshin, now in its 14th year as an exchange race between Arlington Park and the Japan Racing Association, are Barry Butzow’s Lovango, a winner of last season’s $48,000 Forward Pass Stakes on Arlington Million Day; and Starlight Stable, Donald Lucarelli and Paul Saylor’s Throng, second to Coragil Cat in the Timeless Native.

CUBS FAN COMING TO ARLINGTON’S INAUGURAL AMERICAN 1000 GUINEAS
Wouldn’t it be great if Arlington’s inaugural $200,000 American 1000 Guineas – a grass race with international flavoring as well as one of three stakes races that will be contested May 24 at Chicago’s suburban oval – was won by a horse named Cubs Fan?

It could happen! They’re here from South Florida to find out. Actually, most of Cubs Fan’s ownership (Mount Joy Stables) is Chicago-based, but the 3-year-old filly named Cubs Fan has been racing at Calder Race Course and is currently on the road back for the upcoming “home” game.

Cubs Fan broke her maiden by three lengths over the South Florida turf last Sept. 8, but faltered when her next start was taken off the grass and run over a sloppy main track.

Her sire is the exceptional turf sire Lear Fan, and her dam was sired by The Name’s Jimmy, winner of Arlington’s Grade II American Derby in 1992.

In the American 1000 Guineas, Cubs Fan is likely to meet Chicago native Frank Calabrese’s Dreaming of Liz, heroine of the Grade III Arlington-Washington Lassie last Sept. 8 and also winner of the $56,100 Double Delta on opening day May 2.

Others likely for the American 1000 Guineas at this time include Vegso Racing Stable’s Azura, undefeated in two starts; Lloyd DeBruycker’s Rasierra, unplaced in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks May 2 but with four straight second-place efforts before that; Carson Springs Farm, Zaloudek and Henderson’s Sun for Fun, second by a neck behind Azura last time but boxed in during the running, and Nancy Vanier, Cartwright Thoroughbreds VIII and Oak Knoll Farm’s Jolie Visage, fourth behind Azura and Sun for Fun May 10 after experiencing trouble when being loaded in the gate.

TRAINER KIRBY, JOCKEY ZIMMERMAN COMBINE FOR FRIDAY TRIPLE
Veteran conditioner Frank Kirby, Arlington’s leading trainer in 1974 and again in 2004, saddled three winners Friday, becoming the second trainer (along with current leading trainer Wayne Catalano) to accomplish that feat this season.

Jockey Ramsey Zimmerman, a Chicago native returning to Arlington after several seasons, was aboard for all three of Kirby’s tallies.

The trainer-jockey duo began their “hat trick” with Eagle Valley Farm and Seamus Haran’s Debutante Dance in the opener; returned to the winner’s circle with that ownership’s Salt Syn in the sixth and completed the triple with David Banks and Hondo Ranch’s Wagon Road in Friday’s eighth race.

“Ramsey rides very well over the Polytrack here and also over this turf course,” said Kirby. “I think he really enjoys being back at home.”

SUNDAY’S FAMILY DAY TEACHES THOROUGHBRED CARE
Sunday’s Pepsi Family Day program, presented by the Daily Herald, will feature the Chicago Rush Arena Football League team dancers from noon to 4 p.m.; while Junior Jockey Club members, who will meet in the paddock from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will learn all about what Thoroughbreds eat and all the work it takes to care for them.