Pure Clan is Lead Lady in Beverly D. Stakes

by Patricia Woo | Aug 3 2009

A field of eight is taking shape for Saturday's $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park, one of three Grade 1 races that are part of the International Festival of Racing, the marquee event of the Arlington Park meeting.

The other two Grade 1's on the card are the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (G1) for three year olds going 1 ¼ miles on the turf, and the Arlington Million, one of the most prestigious turf events in the world.

The Beverly D. and the Arlington Million are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" series, with the Beverly D. winner earning an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita.

The top three finishers of the Modesty Handicap (G3) over the Arlington Park turf on July 11 will be back to face off again, and they likely will face three European shippers.

Pure Clan won the Modesty, stalking the early pace and drawing clear late in a smart-looking win.

The four year old filly is trained by Robert Holthus and has done little wrong in her career, winning seven of her 13 career starts for earnings of nearly $1.2 million.

She is one of two Grade 1 winners in the field, taking the American Oaks (G1) last summer at Hollywood Park.

The other Grade 1 winner in the race is Black Mamba, who won the John C. Mabee (G1) last August at Del Mar.

Pure Clan, who was sent off at 4/5, was 2 ½ lengths clear of the Modesty runner up Tizaqueena, and it was another neck back to third place finisher Dynaforce.

Trainer John Sadler is shipping Black Mamba in from the west coast and is coming off a game win in the Beverly Hills (G2) by a head, although she only had to beat three foes in that outing.

The European shippers add some intrigue to the race again this year. The best of the trio is Alnadana, who is coming off an easy win in the Prix Messidor (G3) at Maisons-Laffitte in France.

The victory was her first this year in four starts, and she will be getting a class test today as she has not faced Grade 1 company in her 12-race career.

Denomination is a three year old filly facing her elders for the first time here in her U.S. debut. She was beaten a head and a neck when third in the Prix Chloe (G3) at Chantilly in France in her last outing.

The filly figures to go off at a generous price and would likely need a career top effort to get the winners share in this spot.

Mad About You is a consistent filly shipping to the U.S. for trainer Dermot Weld. While the filly has landed in the money in 11 of her 13 career starts, she will be coming into this race riding a four-race losing streak.

Her last win came in the Gladness Stakes (G3) in April at the Curragh in Ireland. She is a Group 3 winner and has been in the mix in Group 1 company, missing winning the Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) in May of '08 by just a couple of heads when third.

Tizaqueena, who was second in the Modesty, will be bringing her early zip, along with recent Dancing Smartly (G2) winner Points of Grace, who went gate to wire in her last victory.

Completing the field is Dynaforce, who was third in the Modesty. Trained by hall of famer Bill Mott, she may have some upside as she is making just her third start since last fall.

She won the Flower Bowl (G1) last September at Belmont Park, then finished off her '08 campaign by checking in eighth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

While Pure Clan looks like the one to beat, she likely is not going to offer much value for the top spot.

Dynaforce could turn the tables and will offer better value, or perhaps the Euro shipper Alnadana could be ready to move forward off her last outing, and she figures to be a decent price.