Arlington stakes plays for Saturday June 26

A pair of stakes races will cap an enticing eight-race card at Arlington Park on Saturday. I respect the favorites in each of the marquee tilts, but will side with runners with excellent value in both black-type events.

Race 7 -- Hanshin Cup S.

Nine will go postward in the mile test on the main oval. There will be no shortage of early pace in the race, and I think that the late runners will have a big chance in the stretch. I am going to dabble with #6 Guest Suite (8-1) for Contreras. The seven-year-old gelding lacks synthetic experience with just two runs over an all-weather strip in his career, but he has placed in each of those efforts, the latest versus stakes foes.

The bay is not overly consistent, but he is of stakes quality and I really liked his allowance score at Oaklawn Park three back. Manny Esquivel will guide the Kentucky-bred, who will run them down late at a fair price.

Wager

$20 win and place #6 Guest Suite ($40)
$5 daily double 6 with 5,10 ($10)

Race 8 -- Chicago S. (G3)

Fillies and mares will go seven-eighths in a competitive spot. A total of 11 will vie in the affair, and I will focus on a pair of contenders in the good betting contest. #10 Our Bay B Ruth (6-1) has yet to regain her four-year-old form, but she has shown improvement in her last pair and could be sitting on a big one on the cut back in trip. Kenneally charge has never raced on the all-weather, but the stakes heroine is proven on the sod and should transition well to this strip. Versatile sort will stalk the pace to the top of the lane.

Our Bay B Ruth and @Tyler_Gaff closes strong to take an Allowance Optional Claiming for @kenneallyracing at @ChurchillDowns.

Thanks and congratulations to owners Homewrecker Racing and Summerplace Farm!

Video produced by @TwinSpires. pic.twitter.com/JCpPspMXBl
— Jockey Tyler Gaffalione (@TGjockey) November 10, 2019

#5 Amazima (8-1) had a fine prep for this affair when she was a closing third in a turf sprint at Keeneland in her five-year-old debut. Walsh pupil has a lot of room for improvement and has the running style that could be essential in the race, as well. Noble Mission mare will rate near midpack behind a swift tempo to the top of the lane under Cannon.

#11 Dreamalildreamofu (5-2) is especially logical as a stakes queen in her lone prior run on an all-weather oval. Brad Cox trainee will always be prominent in the Chicago S., and she is a top-three must use.