Unbridled’s Song Takes Crack at Cigar

Cigar will have company on his flight from New York to Illinois on Friday for his engagement in Saturday’s Arlington Citation Challenge.

Ernie Paragallo, owner of Unbridled’s Song, said Wednesday that his 3-year-old would go to Chicago and run against the world’s best horse.

Happy with the colt’s half-mile workout of 48 2/5 Tuesday morning at Belmont Park, Paragallo decided to try the Challenge after a patch protecting a quarter-crack on the left front hoof of Unbridled’s Song was removed.

“We want to see if the horse is back at his peak, and with two speed horses--no, three with Wild Syn in there--the race in Chicago sets up well for him,” Paragallo said. “He’s training as well as he did at Monmouth [Park in New Jersey] last year. He finished up real strong Tuesday.”

Bothered by foot problems as well as ulcers, which have been treated with antibiotics, Unbridled’s Song, the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby, hasn’t run since failing as the odds-on choice in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park on May 26.

It was thought he would make his comeback in the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth on Sunday but it appears that only two others are going to run in that race.

“It’s going to come down to see if he can outkick Cigar,” Paragallo said. “I think on his best race, he can beat Cigar. But he might run his best race and not beat him.”

Veterinarian Jud Butler, who applied the patch to Unbridled’s Song after the Derby, said the 2-year-old champion has healed nicely.

“Everything is fine,” he said. “The foot is cold, the crack has grown down and with any kind of luck it won’t recur.

“He’s been wearing [another] patch [on his right front foot] for about a month. It’s healing the same way. There’s no problem there.”

In the Challenge, which will be run at 1 1/8 miles, Unbridled’s Song will carry 118 pounds. Cigar, racing for the first time since his easy victory in the Massachusetts Handicap on June 1, will carry 130. A bruised right front foot kept Cigar from running in the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 30.

Looking to equal Citation’s modern North American record of 16 consecutive victories on Saturday, Cigar went half a mile in 48 seconds flat Wednesday morning at Belmont Park.

“I’ve been watching the weather,” said trainer Bill Mott, who had considered waiting until today to work Cigar. “It was a nice, cool, clear day [Wednesday] and we normally work three days out from a race. I thought he was moving well and doing everything well. He’s doing great.

“I think it adds credibility to the race [having Unbridled’s Song in the Challenge]. There are some other good, legitimate horses in there.”

Entries will be taken this morning for the race, which carries a $750,000 purse, plus a $300,000 bonus to the winner if Cigar starts. Others expected are Dramatic Gold, who will be ridden by Chris Antley; Eltish, who will be handled by Eddie Delahoussaye; Metropolitan Handicap winner Honour And Glory, Tenants Harbor, Wild Syn, Polar Expedition and Jambalaya Jazz.

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Wednesday belonged to Eddie Delahoussaye and Alex Solis at Hollywood Park.

With an assist from the stewards, Delahoussaye swept the first three races, then Solis, who leads the jockey standings with 10 days left in the meeting, won four of the final six.

Moved up to first on Meadowjet in the opener after original winner Tru’s Heritage was dropped to last for allegedly causing interference on the backstretch, Delahoussaye won his third consecutive with Dourabadakan in the second, then won the third with Lite ‘N Comfy.

Solis, who holds a 64-57 lead over Corey Nakatani in the jockey standings, won two for trainer Mel Stute, riding Ardent Moment in the fourth and Point Habitat in the sixth, then scored an $18.40 upset on Mateo in the $65,750 Jim Newman Stakes and took the ninth with 6-1 shot Wide Vision.

The second-longest shot in the field of five 3-year-olds, Mateo rallied from off the pace to beat 5-2 third choice Northern Afleet by half a length in 1:34 1/5 in the mile on turf.

This was the second victory in three starts for the gelded son of Lil Tyler, who is trained by Ian Jory. Jory also saddled third-place finisher Hectic.

Future Quest, who was going for his fifth consecutive win after losing in his debut Aug. 6 at Del Mar, finished last as the 13-10 favorite.

Horse Racing Notes

Forced out of the Gold Cup because of a bruised foot, Soul Of The Matter worked six furlongs in 1:13 1/5 on Wednesday. His main objective now is the $1-million Pacific Classic next month at Del Mar. . . . Larry The Legend, who may return to action in the Longacres Mile on Aug. 18 at Emerald Downs in Washington, worked six furlongs in 1:16 flat.

Odyle, who missed the Santa Anita Derby and Triple Crown because of an injury after winning the San Felipe Stakes in March, also worked Wednesday morning. He went three furlongs in 38 4/5.