Powerscourt wins Arlington Million
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) – Powerscourt got his revenge, finishing first in the Arlington Million for the second year in a row – and this time it counted. Disqualified for stretch interference after winning a year ago, the 5-year-old British horse pulled away in impressive fashion Saturday. He won the 1 1/4-mile turf race by three lengths in a time of 2:03.38
“This little horse deserved this win,” said jockey Kieren Fallon. “He was unlucky last year to be taken down.”
Jamie Spencer was aboard Powerscourt last year when the horse was placed fourth.
With Fallon whipping him left-handed, Powerscourt broke through the pack and sailed to a win after starting near the outside at No. 9. He went off at odds of 5-1.
“He proved himself a good horse with back-to-back Arlington Millions. I don’t think it’s ever been done before but maybe it has,” Fallon said.
The only official two-time winner of the race was John Henry, who captured the initial race in 1981 and then came home first again in 1984.
Kitten’s Joy, going off as the 4-5 favorite, finished second Saturday and Fourty Niners Son third.
Powerscourt paid $12.40, $4.60 and $3.40. Kitten’s Joy returned $2.40 and $2.20 and Fourty Niners Son paid $5.40.
“My horse tried real hard and I was very proud of him,” Kitten’s Joy jockey Edgar Prado said.
But Powerscourt found the opening, thanks to some shrewd maneuvering from Fallon.
“I was just hoping to be in behind the leaders turning for home,” Fallon said. “When the splits came in the stretch, he went right through them. I was lucky enough to get the splits right down the middle.
“I got the run I wanted down the backstretch. It opened up quite well. I just had to worry about getting through a couple of horses in front of me. He really responded today for me.”
Kitten’s Joy, the Eclipse Award winner as Champion Turf Male a year ago, had run just one prep race for Arlington. The 4-year-old colt had surgery last November to remove a bone chip from his left knee.
“I wish we could have had another race in him,” Prado said. “He got a hold of the turf OK. They just wore us down in the stretch.”
Earlier, Angara won the $750,000 Beverly D. for fillies and mares, surging between Wonder Again and Megahertz in the stretch and holding on for the victory at 1 3-16 miles.
The win was the third this season for the 4-year-old filly trained by Patrick Biancone. Going off at 6-1 and starting near the outside at No. 9, she returned $14.80, $6 and $4.20, winning in 1:58.30.
“I heard Megahertz coming at the quarter pole and I kind of eased out and tried to be patient. That carried us out of trouble and she went on about her business. It was all her,” said winning jockey Gary Stevens, who two years ago was injured when he was thrown off Storming Home in the 2003 Arlington Million.
“I’ve wondered for two years whether I could win again here and get back to the winner’s circle without having my number taken down and without ending up in a hospital,” he added.
Megahertz placed to pay $4.60 and $3.20 and Melhor Ainda was the show horse, paying $2.80. Both are trained by Bobby Frankel. Wonder Again was fourth.
In the third Grade I race of the day, Gun Salute sprinted past favored English Channel to capture the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds.
English Channel had won its last two starts and hoped to win the Secretariat as the third leg in the newly created Grand Slam of Racing.
Gun Salute, off at 6-1, paid $14.80, $4.60 and $3.60. English Channel returned $2.40 and $2.10 and third place Chattahoochee War paid $4.40 in the 1 1/4-mile turf race.
Arlington Park was celebrating the 20th anniversary of the “Miracle Million.” The track burned to the ground on July 31, 1985, but after furious work to remove rubble and set up temporary seating, the race that year was run 31/2 weeks later.