A Day of Contrasting Streaks

One way or another, a streak will continue after today’s seventh at Aqueduct is official.

Arromanches, a 9-year-old gray son of Relaunch, will be trying for his 11th consecutive win and the 29th of his 70-race career.

At the same time, his trainer, Arthur Wendel, who claimed Arromanches for $50,000 out of his victory Feb. 2, will be trying to win his first race since May 2000. Since then, he has sent out 97 consecutive losers.

A Virginia-bred, Arromanches, who will be carrying a $65,000 claiming price today, has not lost since finishing fifth as an 8-1 shot on May 6 at Philadelphia Park.

Since then, he has rattled off five wins at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, continued his streak with a pair of wins at Belmont Park and has won three times since the New York circuit moved to Aqueduct.

Now owned by Bruce Golden, Arromanches did get some help to keep his streak going. He was second under the wire, beaten 41/4 lengths by Trounce on Dec. 29, but the winner was disqualified for interference in the stretch and he was moved up.

The five horses scheduled to challenge Arromanches have combined for 34 victories, topped by Esteemed Friend with 14.

Case Dismissed, who has won six times, Tio Cavito (seven), Love Happy (four) and Royal Ruby (three victories) round out the lineup in the six-furlong sprint.

Race of the day: The third at Santa Anita isn’t much in terms of quality--3-year-old fillies running for a $25,000 claiming price--but the first leg of a pick six that has a carryover of $123,304.97 drew a dozen runners and a case can be made for more than half of them.

Who’s hot: Truly A Judge. The gelding will be trying for his fifth win in his last six starts in today’s second at Santa Anita. He has won three of four since being claimed for $20,000 by trainer Dave Bernstein.

Who’s not: Double Dollar Day. The gelding, a participant in today’s eighth at Golden Gate Fields, is only one for 23 lifetime and is winless in 11 starts since the beginning of 2001.

Exotically speaking: A pick three singling Ice Fella in the sixth, using Devil’s Horn, Painted Avenue, Re Echo, Mr. Reed and Cash B. Fast in the seventh and Tianna Road and Temagami in the eighth.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 2/131. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $6.20/$779.40. Total money bet: $786.