Bally’s Arapahoe Park: Opening Weekend

Bally’s Arapahoe Park begins their annual race meet this weekend, September 7-9. The 30 day race meet will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday and closes on Sunday, November 10. The meet was posted from its earlier dates due to code violations on the backside. Bally’s Arapahoe Park celebrates their race meet with 4 stakes throughout the opening weekend.

Two Grade 3 races for Arabians were scheduled for Sunday, but were canceled due to lack of nominations.

This preview is the first in a series which will offer a weekly summary of racing action at Arapahoe Park.

Desperate Man Appears to Tower Over Rivals in Inaugural

The traditional opening day feature the Inaugural Stakes drew a field of 5, with invader Desperate Man seemingly towering over his foes.

Desperate Man is owned and trained by Kevin Eikleberry, who frequently invades and dominates stakes racing at Bally’s Arapahoe Park. The Practical Joke gelding boasts the highest last out Equibase speed figure when earning a 90 for a 3 ¼ length allowance win on August 2 at Prairie Meadows. His final time of 1:03.22 was within a second of the track record for 5 ½ furlongs at the Altoona, Iowa oval. Prior to that victory, he had a string of thirds including the Prairie Mile Stakes (Black Type) and Golden Circle Stakes (Black Type). Desperate Man’s career record stands at 6:3-0-3. Daniel Vergara has the mount.

Colorado-bred gelding Ferrari Red is the morning line third choice. Ferrari Red won the CTBA Laddie for Colorado-bred colts and geldings by 13 ½ lengths in 2023 and finished second among open company in the Gold Rush Futurity (Black Type). At 2, he proved he was the best among his generation of Colorado-breds, if that is enough to topple Desperate Man is another matter.

Colorado-bred Quarter Horses Face Off in Dolls Prodigy

2022 Rocky Mountain Futurity winner Pulgarcitos Moonin is the morning line favorite in the 350 yards Dolls Prodigy for Colorado-bred quarter horses. The Moonin The Eagle colt has won once this year.

3-year-old filly First Prize Grown Go and Jess No Secrets are your 9/2 co-second choice on the morning line. This is First Prize Grown Go’s fifth career start and first in her home state of Colorado. She broke her maiden two starts back. Jess No Secrets started twice this year with a win and a third.

Mr Dash Fire will break from post 5. He was fourth in this year’s G2 Mr Jet Moore Stakes which was won by MG1W Flash Bak.

Collusionist Seeks Form Reversal in Arapahoe County Commissioner’s

Colorado is strongly represented by 4 out of the 5 entrants in the Arapahoe County Commissioner’s Stakes. Among those is the all-time leading Colorado-bred earner Collusionist.

After winning Wyoming Down’s Inaugural Stakes in similar fashion to his “Silky Sullivan” debut, he turned in back to back disappointing performances at a mile at Wyoming Downs. Poor performances outside of Colorado is the norm for 8-year-old Collusionist. In his seventh season of racing, the Inaugural was his first win outside of Colorado. A majority Colorado-bred field means Collusionst has beaten these on a few occasions, but after two starts which produced some of his slowest Equibase speed figures since the spring of his 3-year-old season, can he deliver back at home?

The cutback from a mile and class relief, may help Collusionist’s chances, however his stablemate Maius is not to be underestimated. Collusionist and Maius are owned by Eli Diamant and trained by O.A. Martinez, Jr.. A year younger than Collusionist, he has hit many milestones quicker than the leading-earner. He won the Gold Rush Futurity. He got his black type victory and out-of-Colorado win at 2-years-old in the Zia Park Juvenile Stakes (Black Type). While Collusionist dominated the stakes ranks at Bally’s Arapahoe Park, Maius was a dreaded entrant in the allowances. Maius dueled with Collusionist for the majority of the 2022 Butch Gleason Classic. His form at Wyoming Downs was better than Collusionist’s-- with a win, second and third; all of course in the allowance ranks. Does he have the edge on Collusionist in the Arapahoe County Commissioner’s?

Other entrants include: 2022 CTBA Laddie and 2023 CTBA Derby winner Wheeler Dealer, 2021 CTBA Laddie and 2022 CTBA Colorado Derby winner Quiktrip Van, Colorado-bred Tulsa Time, and invader Mr. Thunderstruck.

Fillies and Mares Duel in Molly Brown

In 2023, the distaff division at Bally’s Arapahoe Park was constantly trading punches in the stakes ranks. If the Molly Brown field is any indication, 2024 appears to be a similar year. The Molly Brown Stakes has no real standout, but each mare in the 6 horse field is equally tough.

Half of the field has a stakes win at Bally’s Arapahoe Park to their credit: Celee’s Last Te (2021 CTBA Oaks, 2022 CTBA Spicy), Into Classic (2021 Debutante) and Virtually (2023 Columbine).

Colorado-bred Celee’s Last Te does her best work as a tearaway leader. She breaks from the rail in this spot and is certain to be part of the pace. She won the Hank Mills Handicap at Wyoming Downs last out defeating rival Lovely Lola. Celee’s Last Te was second in this race last year.

Virtually comes into the race in good form, but the 6 furlongs may be too sharp for her. She has been competing in mile turf allowances at Canterbury Park and her Columbine Stakes victory was at a mile-and-a-sixteenth.

Despite being beaten by Celee’s Last Te, Lovely Lola is the likely favorite. Since being beaten she has won twice in row-- both times defeating older males in the Au Revoir Handicap at Wyoming Downs and the Horse Palace Stakes at Sweetwater Downs. Lovely Lola is by Flatter and out of a full sister to 2009 Eclipse Champion 3-year-old colt Summer Bird.

Tennessee Moon is a massive threat for owner/trainer Mark Hibdon. In 12 starts this year, she has been first 8 times and second twice. Her victories include the Jack Greer Memorial Stakes and Al Swihart Memorial Stakes. She enters the race off a two month layoff. Tennessee Moon is a half sister to graded stakes placed Dack Janiels (Tonalist).

2-Year-Old Thoroughbred Fillies Chase Maiden Victory

Four Colorado-bred fillies and one New Mexico-bred filly will try to break their maiden on Sunday over 4 ½ furlongs.

Breaking from the rail is Alliyas Creation (CO), a gray or roan Creative Cause filly making her third start. She was twice beaten at Wyoming Downs for owner/trainer O.A. Martinez, Jr. and part-owner Wendy Hickey.

The other O.A. Martinez, Jr. entrant is Golden Beauty for Eli Diamant. She broke slow on debut at Wyoming Downs before rushing up and ultimately finishing second beaten 6 ¼ lengths. Alliyas Creation was fourth. Golden Beauty is by Goldencents and out of the City Zip mare Just Funnin’ Ya. Both siblings to race are winners and stakes placed at Bally’s Arapahoe Park.

Friendly Spirit has the most experience in the field. In four maiden special weights at Prairie Meadows, she has twice finished second and twice third. Friendly Spirit is a homebred for Francis A. Heckendorf, Jr. She is sired by Ghostzapper and out of Smart Sting, a Smart Strike daughter of 2000 Eclipse Champion Turf Female Perfect Sting. Smart Sting was the best produce of Perfect Sting as she won the G3 Selene at Woodbine and earned roughly $400,000.

Stolen Funds is the final Colorado-bred in the race. She makes her debut for owner/breeder Mason A. King and trainer Stetson Rushton. Jockey Nathan Haar has the mount. Stolen Funds is by Save Big Money, a Storm Cat half to G1W Mr. Sidney and from the family of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft. Stolen Funds is a full sister to 2023 CTBA Lassie winner Bring the Posse.

New Mexico-bred Sporting Star rounds out the quintet. She makes her debut for owner Eugene Burns under the tutelage of Dewey Williams. She is from the second crop of Sporting Chance, the 2017 Grade 1 Hopeful winner, was known for his antics on the racetrack. Sporting Star is out of Hammett Star (Reversal), a 3-time stakes winner including the 2011 Molly Brown Stakes which is the card's feature.

Gallery: 1) Inaugural Stakes Field, 2) Dolls Prodigy Stakes Field, 3) Arapahoe County Commissioner’s Stakes Field, 4) Molly Brown Stakes Field, 5) Ferrari Red, 6) Pulgarcitos Moonin, 7) Collusionist, 8) Maius, 9) Celee’s Last Te, 10) Virtually