Although 34 years have passed since Craig Perret won the second of his two Arlington Park jockey titles, he still knows his way around the track where he first made a name for himself.
“You call on him when you have a horse going for big money and you need a money rider,” trainer Lynn Whiting said.
Whiting had For Rubies running in the first graded stakes race of the Arlington meeting, Saturday’s Grade III $190,750 Chicago Breeders’ Cup Handicap, and he called on Perret to accompany him from Churchill Downs for the 7-furlong sprint for fillies and mares.
Perret lived up to Whiting’s expectations. He had For Rubies stalking the pace set by even-money favorite Raging Fever and kept her there until she took the lead turning for home.
For Rubies pulled away to win by three lengths in 1:24.21 and return $16.40, $4.60 and $3.80 as the 7.20-1 third choice in the betting on the eight-horse race.
Runner-up Raging Fever finished four lengths ahead of Ogala Sue.
Good Day: Perfect Drift got a great ride from Pat Day and beat favored Mineshaft by a head in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.
The 4-year-old gelding, third last year in the Kentucky Derby, took the lead nearing the end and withstood a bid by Mineshaft in the $856,500 race.
