Photo by: Michael Burns

Trainer Macdonald Benson Jockey Corey Nakatani Owner Robert Costigian Breeder W.Bruce Lunsford (Ky) Recent Race History Date Race Finish 06.11 Alywow @ Woodbine 1st

Starter Analysis

Arravale is three for four lifetime, all at her Canadian base of Woodbine. After running three times in the autumn of 2005, she got an eight month break before returning to take the listed Alywow stakes last month. She's never been further than 1 1/16 miles, but her breeding suggests that she should love the distance. She's another in the race that gets a new rider, Corey Nakatani. That fact alone is going to make the Oaks an interesting race; with five of the eight starters riding their mount for the first time, it brings riding tactics to the forefront when handicapping the race. The biggest question with Arravale is if one six furlong race in eight months will have her fit enough to handle the ten furlongs. That, coupled with the change in the climate from Canada to California makes it hard to see her besting this group.

Pedigree Analysis :: Dark Bay or Brown filly, 3; by Arch - Kaloska (Kaldoun (Fr))

Arravale is a daughter of the Claiborne stallion Arch, himself a son of a top turf sire Kris S. Arch raced just seven times, winning five of those, including the Super Derby (GI) at the American Oaks distance of 1 ¼ miles and the 1 3/16 miles Fayette (GIII). Arch never raced on turf, but some of his best offspring have been at their best on the grass. His daughter Overarching was twice champion sprinter in South Africa, and his son Prince Arch was a multiple graded winner of more than $600K. As of this writing, his seven crops of racing age include 15 stakes winners. Arravale is just the third foal, and second runner, from her dam Kalosca. Arravale's full sister, the 4-year-old Landmark, is one-for-ten on the turf to date. A daughter of the French stallion Kaldoun, Kalosca was graded stakes placed on the turf in her native country and ran third in the Lady's Secret (GII) at five. Kalosca's siblings include Mykonos (GB), a horse that raced only 14 times but was either a stakes winner or stakes placed in six of seven years of racing. With the presence of turf marathon sires Roberto, Caro and Riverman all in Arravale's third generation, she certainly has the bloodlines to relish the American Oaks distance.