Derby Trail Forums - 8/4 - Arlington Million day jock assignments

Information provided by the Arlington Park website.

Albarado Gets Arlington Million Mount on Jambalaya
August 4, 2007 --
In Today’s Notes:
• Albarado Gets Arlington Million Mount on Jambalaya
• Beverly D., Secretariat Stakes Jockey Lists Near Completion

ALBARADO GETS ARLINGTON MILLION MOUNT ON JAMBALAYA
Bayou-born jockey Robby Albarado will have the riding assignment on the appropriately-named Jambalaya in the approaching silver anniversary edition of the Arlington Million on Aug. 11.

The native of Lafayette, Louisiana, in the midst of a career-year among nationally-prominent reinsmen, was Arlington’s leading rider in 1996 during his last full season on the Chicago circuit, but will be riding in only his second Arlington Million on the second Saturday in August.

Albarado’s accomplishments so far this season include a win in Pimlico’s Grade I Preakness Stakes aboard Curlin and a tally astride Flashy Bull in Churchill’s Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap.

Jambalaya, owned and trained by Canada’s Catherine Day Phillips, finished third, beaten two lengths for the win in his last start July 22 in Woodbine’s Grade II Northern Dancer Turf, and was previously third, beaten only a neck for all of it, in Woodbine’s Grade II King Edward Stakes July 2, with Javier Castellano aboard for both of those starts.

Last winter, the Ontario-bred Jambalaya won the Grade I Gulfstream Park Breeders’ Cup and the Grade III Pan American Handicap with Castellano in the irons.

Albarado’s previous Grade I Million mount came on Make No Mistake, who finished 12th in the 2001 Million won by Silvano. The 33-year-old Albarado will be riding Jambalaya for the first time in Arlington Million XXV.

Other Arlington Million contestants, with one exception, are to be ridden by jockeys who were aboard for their last starts. They include Victor Espinoza seeking a repeat Arlington Million win on Ralph and Aury Todd’s The Tin Man; Alex Solis aboard Pam and Martin Wygod’s After Market; David Flores on Rob Roy; Julien Leparoux astride Fab Oak Stable, Robert Hurley and John Goldthorpe’s Stream Cat; Garrett Gomez on Aaron and Marie Jones Sunriver; Mick Kinane on His Highness the Aga Khan Studs Ltd.’s Danak; and John Murtagh on Javier Martinez Salmean’s Doctor Dino. Gary Tanaka’s Irish-bred Pressing, trained by Michael Jarvis, has no rider named at this time.

BEVERLY D., SECRETARIAT STAKES JOCKEY LISTS NEAR COMPLETION
Veteran jockey Rene Douglas, the only jockey in Arlington Park history to win four straight riding championships at the Northwest suburban oval (2001-2004), has been named to ride the German-bred mare Royal Highness in the upcoming $750,000 Beverly D. – the Grade I sister race to the Grade I Arlington Million, also run Aug. 11 as part of Arlington’s International Festival of Racing.

Royal Highness, trained by Frenchman Christophe Clement, finished second by a neck last time July 14 in Delaware Park’s $257,000 Robert Dick Memorial Handicap with Ramon Dominguez aboard, but won Gulfstream Park’s Grade III The Very One Handicap Feb. 25 with Edgar Prado in the irons.

Douglas, 40, born in Panama City, Panama, is currently far in front in the 2007 Arlington Park jockey standings while in pursuit of his fifth local title, but will be riding Royal Highness for the first time in the Beverly D.

With three previous mounts in the Beverly D., observing its 18th running this summer, Douglas’s best finish was a second in the 1995 renewal astride Alice Springs. Douglas also finished seventh aboard Owsley in 2003 and sixth on Royal Copenhagen last summer.

Jockeys returning as regular riders aboard their mounts in the Beverly D. include David Flores on Stronach Stables Inc.’s Citronnade; Garrett Gomez aboard Glencrest Farm LLC’s Honey Ryder; E. T. Baird on Michael and Elaine Bojarski, Sam Belpedio, William Lloyd and Cherrywood Racing II’s Jennie R.; and Julien Leparoux astride Lady of Venice, owned by Martin Schwartz.

Beverly D. contestants still without definite jockey assignments are the South African-bred mare Irridescence, owned by Team Valor Stables LLC and Green Lantern Stables, and the British-bred filly Lahudood, owned by Shadwell Stable.

Known riding assignments in the Grade I Secretariat Stakes – the final leg of Arlington’s Mid-America Triple – are as follows: Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Lattice, Robby Albarado; Peachtree Stable’s Red Giant, Garrett Gomez; Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Flaxman Holdings Ltd.’s Admiralofthefleet, Mick Kinane; Gestut Ittlingen’s Axxos, Andrasch Starke; Dr. Ronan Lambe’s Fleeting Shadow, Patrick Smullen; and Triple B Farm’s Shamdinan, Kerwin John.

Rene Douglas is expected to be named on either Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Pavarotti or Edward Evans’ Pleasant Strike in the Secretariat Stakes, and riding assignments remain incomplete in the Secretariat for expected starters Going Ballistic, owned by Kindred Thoroughbreds Inc.; and Mostacolli Mort, owned by Everest Stables Inc.