Pizza Man Tries to Deliver Third Straight Stars and Stripes Win

The Pizza Man is tabbed as the 2/1 favorite, and will break from post two under jockey Florent Geroux. The six year-old gelded son of English Channel proved he hasn’t lost a step, returning from a six-month layoff in his last start to win the Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs May 30. A winner of the last two Stars and Stripes Stakes and 2014 American St Leger, the Roger Brueggmann trainee is a picture of class with 13 wins in 21 starts for earnings of $842,337. The Pizza Man has won five consecutive starts over the Arlington Park lawn.

Three Hearts tackles boys 

At 9/2 on the morning line, Three Hearts is a distant second choice as the five year-old Hat Trick mare will take on the boys while trying to rebound from a nine-place effort in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes May 25 at Santa Anita. Prior to that effort, the Neil Drysdale trainee had hit the board in four consecutive graded stakes efforts, including a win in the Grade 3 Red Carpet November 22 at Del Mar.

Xtra Luck goes for stakes repeat 

Xtra Luck (5/1) has just 3 wins in 20 career starts, but took the 1 ½ mile Grade 3 Louisville Handicap May 22 in his last effort after placing in an allowance race at Keeneland.