Very few underlaid Frank Calabrese-owned short chalks have gone down this Arlington meet, but 4-5 It's About Image just did in race 4. He ground out a second-place finish, but only for a brief moment when moving into position at the half-mile pole of a one and one-sixteenth mile race did Image look like a winner. Home instead at 14-1 (overlay) was Wayoff, who was running regularly in $4K claimers since last Arlington season, but fit decently in this $10K claimer when factoring in his love of AP Poly. Pace-setting Macho Camacho came to top of stretch with clear lead, but still was run over by three horses despite the race ending at the sixteenth pole. Right now, I would not want to be on the lead over AP main track. But time after time, just as one starts to believe that, a pace-setter jumps up and wins.
That open $10K race went in 1:46.48 for 8.5 furlong; the horses in the first three races are challenged, yes, but the main track undoubtedly is slow today.
Race 3 winner, Neverearlyshirley, became first horse in day's first three races to crack 1:14 for six furlongs, clocking 1:13.87. Shirley, a first-timer from trainer Joel Berndt, came from last at the top of the stretch to collar pace-setting Linda Got Even, who clearly was second.
