Myra Lewin, BloodHorse

Greengrassofyoming thrust out his nose in a four-horse finish to capture the Stars and Stripes Stakes (gr. IIIT) July 9 at Arlington International Racecourse, as two-time defending winner The Pizza Man just missed in fourth.

Greengrassofyoming, a 6-year-old Quest gelding, covered 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.74 on firm turf and tallied his first graded win for Patricia’s Hope. Trainer Mike Maker claimed him for $62,500 out of a June 26 allowance optional/claimer at Churchill Downs.

“I’ve been following this horse for the past couple of years and we were fortunate enough to get him last time, with this race in mind,” Maker said of Greengrassofyoming, who has eight wins from 36 starts, including the 2014 Remington Green Stakes, a listed race he finished third in last year.

While Chip Leader set an uncontested pace and opened seven-length lead on O’Prado Ole through a mile, Shaun Bridgmohan bided his time and kept Greengrassofyoming comfortable in fifth, then fourth, along the inside. He then moved his mount to advance three wide on the final turn. O’Prado Ole took charge at the three-eighths pole from faltering Chip Leader but Greengrassofyoming overtook him in upper stretch and held on to prevail in a desperate finish.

O’Prado Ole held for second, a nose in front of Pumpkin Rumble, who was a nose in front of The Pizza Man, after he was next to last through a mile.

The Star and Stripes was part of a nine-race Million Preview Day card at the suburban Chicago track, and offered the top three finishers a fees-paid berth into the grade III American St. Leger on Arlington Million Day Aug. 13.

Greengrassofyoming, bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, is out of the Dehere mare Flick. He was a $3,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Dwight Preston.

The top three finishers from the Arlington Handicap earn a fees-paid starting berth in the $1 million Arlington Million (gr. IT).