(Edited Arlington Park report)

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The 20th anniversary edition of the Arlington’s Grade I Beverly D. Stakes is less than 10 weeks away on Aug. 8, but on May 30 two of the original nominations to the sister race of the Grade 1 Arlington Million won in graded stakes company in two different countries.

In California, 2009 Beverly D. nominee Magical Fantasy, owned Bienstock, Mandabach and Winner, rallied in the late stages of Hollywood Park’s Grade 1 Gamely Stakes to be best by a neck at the wire.  The 4-year-old daughter of Diesis captured Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Santa Barbara Handicap at previous asking April 18.

Three Chimney Racing’s Diamond Diva, the Gamely favorite and another Beverly D. nominee, finished third, beaten a neck and a nose in Saturday’s West coast turf test. That British-bred 5-year-old mare, runner-up in the 2008 Gamely, captured Hollywood’s Grade 2 CashCall Mile last summer.

Fourth in Saturday’s Gamely was 2009 Beverly D. nominee Black Mamba, bred in New Zealand and owned by Doubledown Stables.  Black Mamba also finished second by a nose to Magical Fantasy in last month’s Santa Barbara.

Ron Beegle’s Lemon Chiffon and Johanna Louise Glen-Teven’s Toque de Queda, fifth and sixth respectively in the Gamely while heads apart, are also original nominations for this summer’s Beverly D.

Earlier Saturday afternoon, over Canada’s turf course at Woodbine, 2009 Beverly D. nominee Rutherienne, owned by Virginia Kraft Payson, justified her odds-on favoritism with a three-length victory in Saturday’s Nassau Stakes for fillies and mares.

French-born trainer Christophe Clement, who won last summer’s Beverly D. with French-bred Mauralakana, owned by Robert Scarborough, and the previous year’s renewal with German-bred Royal Highness, owned by Monceaux Stable, is also the conditioner of Rutherienne.

Runner-up in Saturday’s Nassau Stakes was the Irish-bred Callwood Dancer, owned by Three Chimneys Racing and Harlequin Ranches.  That 5-year-old Danehill Dancer mare is also an original nominee to the 2009 Beverly D.

In other developments concerning Arlington’s upcoming international grass test for members of the distaff set, Darley Stable’s Criticism and Brushwood Stable’s Mushka finished first and second respectively in Belmont Park’s Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Stakes on May 23.  Both of those are original nominations to this summer’s Beverly D.