Viola Jasko Photo

Arles takes them all the way for G3 Long Island win

by NYRA Press Office

Team Valor International and Green Lantern Stable's Arles delivered as the even-money favorite in the Grade 3, $200,000 Long Island Handicap on Saturday, leading every step of the way en route to her first North American victory in the turf marathon for fillies and mares at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 5-year-old French-bred mare by Monsun took an easy lead over the field of six, cruising through an opening quarter-mile in 24.85 seconds and the half in 49.85 with Summersault, Playful Sound and Texting closest in pursuit. Six furlongs went in 1.14.86 as Arles, ridden by Nik Juarez, held a two-length lead when the field crossed the wire for the first time. 

Summersault cut her lead down to a length with an inside move on the backstretch, but Arles had more in reserve as the field turned for home. Moving three wide into the stretch, Arles dug in down the lane and hit the finish line 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Galileo's Song, who rallied from last early to secure second. 

Texting was third, followed by Summersault, Achnaha, and Playful Sound to complete the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 ½-mile route was 2:28.65. Trained by Graham Motion, Arles returned $4 for a $2 win wager.

The win marked Arles' return from a nine-month layoff and first win since arriving from Europe in the summer of 2016. She posted a trio of runner-up finishes in her three previous U.S. starts, all against Grade 3 company. Arles most recently finished second by a length behind multiple graded stakes winner Suffused in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante in January at Gulfstream Park. Arles improves her career record to 3-7-2 from 13 starts for earnings of $279,640.

"I was very confident with her through the whole trip," said Juarez. "I talked to Graham this morning and he was saying she was fresh off a layoff and hopefully she would show her class. Today, she did just that. It was a perfect trip. It felt like she was going kind of quick that last half, but I got her to settle back in my hands pretty easily. When it came to the stretch, she was real game."