Sharp Illinois-breds face off

The two sharpest Illinoisbred 3-year-olds to race at Arlington this year, Smoke ‘n’ Gloat and Devileye, face off Saturday in the $65,000 Arlington Heights Stakes, a seven-furlong Polytrack race restricted to statebreds.

The Arlington Heights is one of six overnight stakes added last week to Arlington’s schedule because of a surplus in the track’s purse account. Arlington’s policy is to end its season with a zero balance in the account, which has led to purse cuts in recent years.

Smoke ‘n’ Gloat showed promise while losing his three starts last year at age 2 and has been a tiger this season. He won his first four races of 2017, including the Springfield Stakes in June, and appeared to be on his way to victory in the $75,000 Bruce D. Memorial on the Arlington Million undercard when longshot Harmac emerged from the pack and ran him down. Smoke ‘n’ Gloat finished more than two lengths clear of third in a solid field and came back to work a quick halfmile Aug. 26.

“He just got outrun by a horse that ran a hell of a race,” said Scott Becker, who trains Smoke ‘n’ Gloat for William Stiritz. “But everything is good with him. There are a couple good horses in there, but I don’t see any reason why he can’t win.”

Win is all that Devileye has done so far, capturing three starts in 2016, including the Jim Edgar Futurity, and beating older horses Aug. 5 in his first start at age 3. Devileye actually beat Smoke ‘n’ Gloat in an Illinois-bred maiden race last summer, but Smoke ‘n’ Gloat was not then what he has now become.

Apprentice Clawson sidelined

Apprentice jockey Katie Clawson, who has been leading rider for most of the long Indiana Grand 2017 race meet, has ridden only one race since Aug. 23 after falling in a morning training accident. Clawson visited a doctor Wednesday and said via text message she is out of action until at least late next week. She said she has a follow-up medical examination scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 7, to “see how things have progressed with my healing.”

Clawson has been diagnosed with a concussion. She also said last Friday that she was body sore after a horse she was working last week at Indiana Grand bolted to the outside fence, unseating her. Clawson attempted to return to action Saturday night at Indiana Grand but took off her mounts after one ride.

Clawson, an Indiana native, began race-riding last year, came into the Indiana Grand meet as a seven-pound apprentice, and came alive after the first couple weeks of a meet that began April 18. Clawson, who now rides as a five-pound apprentice, took over the lead in the jockey standings on May 26 and held it until her recent injury. Marcelino Pedroza now holds a one-win advantage, 72-71, over Clawson, while DeShawn Parker has 69 wins. The Indiana Grand meet runs through Oct. 27.

Canterbury boosts stakes purse

Canterbury Park announced Friday it was raising the purse of the Sept. 16 Shakopee Juvenile from $60,000 to $75,000 and that Minnesota-breds in the race would be eligible for a $100,000 purse.

The six-furlong Shakopee Juvenile is somewhat noteworthy this year because it is expected to attract the very talented 2-year-old filly Amy’s Challenge. Amy’s Challenge beat males in her Aug. 6 career debut, a 16 1/2-length cakewalk in a six-furlong Canterbury maiden race that produced a 91 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest 2-year-old number in North America so far this year.

Amy’s Challenge has since worked twice, including a halfmile breeze in 47.80 seconds Wednesday. Trainer Mac Robertson said the Shakopee Juvenile could serve as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland next month.

Amy’s Challenge is not the only fast 3-year-old at Canterbury this summer. Soul of Discretion, a Discreetly Mine colt trained by Dan McFarlane, won an Aug. 25 five-furlong maiden race by 13 lengths, earning an 85 Beyer. The Minnesota-bred Mr. Jagermeister has gotten Beyers of 81 and 74 in two blowout wins at Canterbury.