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MMSC,
How is this Dwyer as a jock? I have never heard of him, details? |
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Johannesburg can give more insight, as can Moodwalker. All I can say is he's okay.:p He's had some mounts for Dunlop, Jarvis, Sir Stoute but is not exactly their go-to guy. Some stats..... MARTIN DWYER Statistics Current Form Jockey Engagements GB IRE All Races Flat Jumps Any Turf All Weather Last 5 Seasons 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 By Course Distance Month Horse RaceType Trainer Age WINS RUNS % 2nds 3rds 4ths WIN PRIZE TOTAL PRIZE £1 STAKE 2yo 6 74 8 10 8 10 £35,457.35 £67,734.10 -33.25 3yo 28 253 11 31 32 26 £944,846.40 £1,164,244.10 -69.73 4yo+ 25 229 11 23 23 16 £194,674.17 £402,165.92 -83.19 TOTAL 59 556 11 64 63 52 £1,174,977.92 £1,634,144.12 -186.17 |
From Arlington barn notes.....
(This girl has a huge shot.....) :cool: BEVERLY D.’S BRITISH-BRED RISING CROSS: BIG HEART, SMALL STATURE She’s young, pretty, and visiting the United States for the first time in her life, but she’s no pushover. Her name is Rising Cross, she is a 3-year-old filly owned by Gary Tanaka, and she has come to run in Saturday’s Grade I Beverly D. Stakes – a little lady up against older mares for the first time in her 18-race career. “She’s very small, but she’s very tough,” said Christie Skippen, Rising Cross’s exercise rider and groom, speaking outside Arlington Park’s International Barn Tuesday morning during training hours. “In fact, you can always tell which one Rising Cross is when she’s out on the track, because she is so small. “In fact,” the willowy blonde Ms. Skippen added with a smile, “this (Beverly D.) saddle towel they just gave me might just about cover her. “I broke her as a yearling and I’ve been with her ever since,” said Skippen, who like her charge is young, pretty and making her first trip to the United States. “She has a big heart, but she’s a gentle girl – very easy to ride, but as soon as she sees the track, she gets very excited. She never runs a bad race, and she tries her hardest every race. She can run on the lead if you ask her to, but she settles very easy and prefers to press the pace.” Rising Cross last raced in the Group I Irish Oaks at The Curragh July 1 and finished third, beaten five lengths at the wire. Before that, she was an uncharacteristic eighth in the Group I Italian Oaks at San Siro June 18, but was clearly second best in the Group I English Oaks at Epsom Downs June 2. Her last trip to the winner’s circle came May 6 (Kentucky Derby Day) when she was best by three lengths in the listed Lupe Stakes at Great Britain’s Goodwood. The daughter of Cape Cross is trained by John Best, 44, a former point-to-point jockey as an amateur who now has his yard near Maidstone in Kent in the Southeast of England. Best, who will arrive at Arlington later this week, currently has about 10 jumpers and 30 flat horses in training, with Rising Cross easily the best of the lot. “She’s the only horse we’ve had to go abroad,” concluded Skippen, “but she’s a very quiet traveler. If we do anything (in the way of a morning work) with her here, it won’t be anything serious. She’s fit enough.” ROYAL COPENHAGEN ARRIVES BACK AT ARLINGTON FOR BEVERLY D. Saturday’s 17th running of the Grade I Beverly D. Stakes annually attracts the best world’s best grass running fillies and mares in its capacity as the sister race to the Grade I Arlington Million that same afternoon – and this week’s renewal will be no exception. However, one of the more interesting but unexpected members of the distaff now set for this year’s renewal is the French-bred filly Royal Copenhagen, owned by Richard Duchossois and trained by Laura de Seroux. She is interesting because her owner is the chairman of Arlington Park as well as the man who created this race in honor of his late wife. She is unexpected, because in her last start, Royal Copenhagen finished a disappointing sixth in Arlington’s Grade III Modesty Handicap on July 22 as the final local prep for Saturday’s Beverly D. At that time, her trainer indicated that an excellent Modesty run was a prerequisite for an appearance in the Beverly D. “I had to think about that race (Modesty) and analyze what happened before I decided to bring her back for the Beverly D.,” said de Seroux, speaking over the phone from her Southern California headquarters shortly before noon on Tuesday. Coincidentally, at about that same time, the equine charter bringing Royal Copenhagen and the other California-based International Festival of Racing horses touched down at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. “If Royal Copenhagen had enjoyed a trouble-free trip to finish sixth, I would not have thought about bringing her back,” de Seroux said. “But she didn’t. She got blocked, she got bumped, she was kept out from the rail and the course favored horses on the front end that day. “I had some collaboration with Rene (jockey Douglas, Royal Copenhagen’s rider in the Modesty) right after the race and he was absolutely furious,” said de Seroux. “He kept telling me how much horse he had left, and he was confident that she belongs with these horses. Then I looked at the chart and saw she was only beat four and a half lengths despite all her trouble. “I shipped her back to our training center in Southern California because she loves it out there and I wanted to miss all that hot, humid weather they said was coming to Chicago,” de Seroux said. “We have these turn-out paddocks out there, and she loves living outside there in that happy environment. The plane ride from Chicago out to Southern California is only three hours and 20 minutes, and it can take us longer than that to get from our place to Santa Anita in traffic, so the length of the trip was no problem. We’ve missed all your hot weather and she has been doing very well the last three weeks. “Also, Mr. ‘D.’ has indicated to me many times that – for obvious reasons – he would rather win this race than the Arlington Million or the Kentucky Derby,” said de Seroux, “and I really think she has a legitimate chance. And in racing, you never know.” * * * From DRF..... Ace out to end long drought in Million By MARCUS HERSH CHICAGO - Trainer Graham Motion mostly cleared up one mystery Tuesday, saying Better Talk Now was all but certain to come to Chicago for Saturday's Arlington Million. The mystery of who Todd Pletcher will send to the Million, English Channel or Go Deputy, is ongoing, though Arlington racing officials believe they are getting one of the two. But how to explain this mystery: Ace, one of the top contenders in the Million, is coming up on the two-year anniversary of his last victory. Ace is one of 11 horses pre-entered in the Million, and was one of two Aidan O'Brien horses - the other is Secretariat Stakes hopeful Ivan Denisovich - to arrive Monday at Arlington. The O'Brien charges, in from Ireland, cleared quarantine Tuesday, and will begin to finish off their final race preparations with a training session Wednesday. Later Wednesday morning, entries were to be taken and post positions drawn for the Million, the Beverly D., and the Secretariat. O'Brien won the 2005 Million with Powerscourt, who had finished first in the previous Million only to be disqualified to fourth for interference. Powerscourt's form seemed to improve whenever he came to the United States. Ace may be similar in that respect. He was coming off fourth- and fifth-place finishes in England and Ireland when O'Brien shipped him last fall to New York, but there he finished a close third in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, and later in October was second in the Breeders' Cup Turf. Both were good races, but both losses, and in four European starts this season, Ace still has not found the winner's circle. Better Talk Now still likely Even though Better Talk Now has been pointed to the Million, there remained a chance that he may desert the race for the Sword Dancer. But during a national conference early Tuesday afternoon, Motion termed the chances of switching to the Sword Dancer "very slim." Motion had the same decision to make last summer and at the last minute chose the Million, where Better Talk Now finished a tough-luck fourth. And despite Better Talk Now's win in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Cup Turf two seasons ago, and an 0-for-3 record at 1 1/4 miles, Motion believes the Million, with a faster pace likely than in the Sword Dancer, might better suit his horse. There was little other movement in the three Grade 1 turf races carded for Saturday, though locally based Arbuckle Bandit has joined the list of possible Secretariat starters, bringing the prospective field to seven. |
I'm telling you, Rising Cross is the real deal....
I am firing a load at her. |
Don't too much fancy Marty Dwyer though, I'm not sure why he is the one coming.
I'll say one thing for him though, that ride on Sir Percy in the Derby showed a lot of determination and balls to come up the rail like that and nip them all at the wire. |
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For the love of God how much longer till they announce who has the mount?
Must go have another panic attack..... |
MMSC,
Do you think Ace's chances might be ruined depending on where he ends up in the field. He seemed pretty rank the last couple of times I have seen him run over in England, and not interested at all in rating. Maybe they should just let that thing go to the front with The Tin Man and see what happens. |
Here's what I understand to be our Million field. Not 100% sure on this (but pretty damn close)
1. Major Rythm (30-1) 2. The Tin Man (10-1) 3. Ace (5-1) 4. Touch of Land (15-1) 5. Soldier Hollow (15-1) 6. Phoenix Reach (5-1) 7. Cosmonaut (20-1) 8. Better Talk Now (6-1) 9. Go Deputy (15-1) 10. Cacique (4-1) 11. English Channel (3-1) |
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From here. Like I said not 100% on this but the original poster is legit and havent seen them wrong yet on this kind of thing. DRF should have it up soon. |
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The Beverly D looks amazing....I am guessing English Channel comes because Go Deputy would scratch and he will get the ultimate trip from the 10 hole(with go deputy scratching) |
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One of us heard English Channel is going to Arlington. |
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Do you have ANY idea how the gate is set up for a 10 furlong race at Arlington? I am guessing NO So to clue you in, the 1 hole has about 100 feet before you run into the rail, MORE TIMES then not you start out last, you either GUN and pray or you break last, start last....It is a horrible draw for him, he is lucky it is only a 6 horse field because he is going to be 10 lengths last most likely. he will still win, but that draw doesn't help him whatsoever |
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10 lengths last? You are a clueless person. Clueless. Please explain to me how the race plays out. Let me guess, you haven't even seen the PP's but you know what is going to happen. Hilarious. |
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Glad to see you are so well versed with the Arlington Oval, why don't you 'show up' this weekend and teach me a thing or two |
Go Between has a legit shot at beating Showing Up with that lousy post draw he got.
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Does Ouija Board intimidate him? :) |
THIS IS FROM SPORTING LIFE!!!!!
OH PLEEEEASE..... FALLON DECLARED FOR ACE By PA Sport Staff The major news to emerge from the draw for the 24th running of the Arlington Million and its two supporting races was that Kieren Fallon has been declared on Aidan O'Brien's Ace and Ivan Denisovich. The Irish jockey is scheduled to arrive in Chicago on Thursday, but it remains unclear if he will receive his licence to ride at Arlington Park. It appears the Illinois Racing Board has to make the decision whether he will be able to ride or not, although it had been previously thought he would be unable to ride in the state following the decision of the Horseracing Regulatory Authority to ban him from riding in Britain. Ace was drawn three in the Arlington Million, while the other British contender Phoenix Reach, trained by Andrew Balding, has drawn number six. Touch of Land, trained by Henri-Alex Pantall in France is drawn four, with the German raider Soldier Hollow in five. Current favourite is the Todd Pletcher-trained English Channel, who is drawn in stall 11. Andreas Christou, Phoenix Reach's owner, said: "Phoenix Reach has been back in training for two months. It is quite easy to train a horse again from scratch in England, as we have hills, different gallops and lots of terrain to get a horse fit. "He is a gifted horse and I have always believed that a gifted horse will tell the trainer when he is ready." Although the European trainers have not yet arrived at Arlington Park, they will hardly be upset about the draw of their contenders, all drawn on the inside. As to Ivan Denisovich, one of six runners in the Secretariat Stakes, Pat Keating, head lad at Ballydoyle, said: "He has travelled well and we are very happy with him. He will suit the track. He ran well in the St James's Palace Stakes and showed then that he should get the extra furlong without any problem. "He is drawn five and that shouldn't be any problem." The William Haggas-trained Primary is drawn four in that race, while the 7-5 favourite Showing Up is drawn in stall number one. A total of 11 fillies and mares will line up for the Beverly D. Stakes, which has only attracted one European runner, the John Best-trained Rising Cross, who runs in the colours of Gary Tanaka. |
Arlington barn notes....
FATE FIGURES WITH PHOENIX REACH’S OWNER Irish-bred Phoenix Reach – one of the premier European candidates for Saturday’s Arlington Million XXIV – is owned by English-based Andrew Christou, who races in the nom-de-course of Winterbeck Manor Stud. Christou made his first visit to Arlington Park Wednesday morning to watch Phoenix Reach accomplish his latest gallop over the main track with Steve Woolley in the irons. His bay 6-year-old charge – winner of the 2003 Grade I Canadian International, the 2004 Group I Hong Kong Vase and the 2005 Grade I Dubai Sheema Classic – will be making his first start in just over a year in Saturdays’ Grade I Million. “I’m quite young in the business,” said Christou, “but, fortunately, we’ve been very successful. We can’t have a big setup where we are (Vale of Belvoir in Lincolnshire) but we have about 12 mares and have invested millions in youngsters trying to get good mares that way. “I believe in fate and I believe in dreams –and I dreamed we were going to get the three post in the draw today,” said Christou later in the day immediately after the post position draw. “It got down to the last two post positions and we drew the six and Ace drew the three, but that’s all right, because we have a half-sister to Ace at home, so maybe that’s why I dreamed about the three post. It’s a good situation for me even if Ace were to win instead of us. “Andrew (Balding, Phoenix Reach’s trainer) believes in dreams, too,” Christou said. “Before one of Phoenix Reach’s winning races in the Orient, Andrew had a dream that his bridle would break, so we put his blinkers on inside the bridle. His bridle did break in that race, but the blinkers stayed on, because we had put them on inside. If his blinkers had come off, we would have been disqualified. So we all believe in dreams. “Also, I once had an Indian astrologer tell me that Phoenix Reach would become a great horse, as long as we never ran him at home,” Christou said. “Well, he was bred in Ireland, so that’s why we never have run him in Ireland.” SHOWING UP’S OWNERS (ALSO BARBARO’S) ARRIVE AT ARLINGTON FRIDAY Lael Stables’ Showing Up, 7-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s Grade I Secretariat Stakes following his impressive three and a quarter-length tally the $1,000,000 Colonial Cup in Virginia June 24, will leave from the rail in the $400,000 leg of Arlington’s Mid-America Triple. Lael Stables’ ownership duo of Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who also own this year’s injured Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, will be making their first visit to Arlington Park to watch Showing Up run in the Secretariat, restricted to 3-year-olds of international grass caliber. "We’ve never been to Arlington Park before,” said Gretchen Jackson, speaking over the phone from their West Grove, Pennsylvania, home early Wednesday afternoon, “but we’ve always heard how really great it is, and we’re really looking forward to seeing it for the first time. We just got back from Saratoga last night. I guess the rail will be all right in a field of six, but you never know in racing. Hopefully, Showing Up will run as well as he did in Virginia. “Barbaro continues to be a good patient,” Mrs. Jackson said. “I feel so sorry for him. He wants to live and he’s really trying hard. He can do everything but talk. You can see when he gets tired he likes to lean on his sling a little bit, like he’s saying: ‘Ah, this feels a little better this way. I think I’ll try this for awhile.’ He is very special and we’re all hoping he can come through this. He wants to, and we love him, so knock on wood.” EUROPEANS ON TRACK WEDNESDAY Joining Winterbeck Manor Stud’s Phoenix Reach on the main track Wednesday morning during training hours – and also merely for light exercise – was Saturday’s Grade I Arlington Million XXIV candidate Touch of Land, owned by Gary Tanaka, with Bernard Mion up. French-bred Touch of Land, trained by Henri-Alex Pantall, won France’s Group III Grand Prix de Vichy at the Vichy course in his last start, and is a veteran of last summer’s Arlington Million, where he finished fifth, beaten less than six lengths, despite being caught behind horses turning into the stretch. He also finished 11th in the 2003 Million as a sophomore. Saturday’s European-based Grade I Beverly D. candidate Rising Cross, also owned by Tanaka but a British-bred who finished third in the Group I Irish Oaks at The Curragh in her last start July 16, stretched her legs under regular exercise rider Christie Skippen, who later expressed happiness with Rising Cross’s Beverly D. draw in post position four. Irish-based Aidan O’Brien International Festival of Racing candidates Ace, an Arlington Million starter owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Mrs. Harry McCalmont, galloped on the main track under John Frain, and Grade I Secretariat starter Ivan Denisovich, owned by Mrs. Magnier, Tabor, and Irving and Marjorie Cowan, had Antoine Bouts astride. O’Brien head traveling lad Pat Keating said following the draw for International Festival of Racing post positions that he was very happy with both Ace’s Million draw at post position three and Ivan Denisovich’s Secretariat draw at post position five. |
Update 2,735, 972 from DRF..... :D
No European world-beaters in this Million :mad: By ALAN SHUBACK There will be some familiar European faces lining up for the Arlington Million on Saturday, but neither they nor any of the newcomers rate as highly as recent winners Sulamani or Powerscourt. The Beverly D., in direct competition with this past Saturday's Nassau Stakes, in which Ouija Board and Alexander Goldrun set Goodwood alight, has attracted only a single European-trained 3-year-old filly, one who will be making her first start against older females. In the Secretariat, we will see a Breeders' Cup Juvenile also-ran who has not won a race in 13 months and an intriguing Giant's Causeway colt who should make his presence felt. Arlington Million Touch of Land needs no introduction to Arlington regulars. Eleventh behind the victorious Sulamani in the Million three years ago as a 3-year-old, Touch of Land returned to Chicago last year to finish an improved fifth behind Powerscourt. Like last year, he is coming off a win in the Group 3 Grand Prix de Vichy. Perhaps more importantly from a form standpoint, he has won the last two runnings of the Prix Dollar, one of France's better Group 2 contests. Can Touch of Land be third-time lucky? A late-running third or fourth is more likely. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Ace showed a liking for American racing when he was third in last fall's Turf Classic at Belmont and an even better second in the Breeders' Cup Turf. Disappointing in his first three starts this year, the 5-year-old Ace seemed to be coming around in his last try, when he was second over an inadequate mile in a Group 3 at the Curragh. A horse who likes a fast pace on firm ground, he is likely to enjoy the conditions of the Million. But players must choose between the Ace who has been off form all year and the Ace who may remember that he is back in America where, like ex-stablemate Powerscourt, he runs his best. At 124, Phoenix Reach has a higher Timeform rating than any of Arlington's other European invaders. Trouble is, he hasn't run since finishing up the track in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in July 2005. Trainer Andrew Balding has been pointing the 6-year-old Phoenix Reach to the Million since he got him back in training late this spring after a long spell on the sidelines because of a leg injury that nearly forced his retirement. At his best, he would be competitive, but it is doubtful Phoenix Reach will be at his best on Saturday. Moreover, his big international victories in the Canadian International, the Hong Kong Vase, and the Dubai Sheema Classic all came at 1 1/2 miles. Soldier Hollow appears to be the best 10-furlong horse among the visitors. From the barn of Germany's leading trainer, Peter Schiergen, the 6-year-old Soldier Hollow hasn't been facing the quality of competition some of his Million rivals have this year, but he appears to be sitting on a big race. Twice the winner of Italy's best late-season event for older horses, the 1 1/4-mile Premio Roma, he has been first or second in 10 of his 12 tries at the Million distance and may be the value play. Beverly D. After chasing home the redoubtable Alexandrova in the English Oaks despite having taken a frightening stumble at the eighth pole, Rising Cross ran eighth in the Italian Oaks before bouncing back to form and finishing third behind Alexandrova in the Irish Oaks. Now, however, she is cutting back to 1 3/16 miles and facing older fillies and mares for the first time. She is likely to find the pace at Arlington too quick, the distance too short, and the competition too tough. Secretariat By the great Danehill, the O'Brien-trained Ivan Denisovich has seemed disinclined to make a peak effort this year and appears to be a classic case of a fine 2-year-old who simply didn't improve at 3. Anyone who thinks he will better himself in his first try beyond 1 1/16 miles may want to try him, but it would probably be money spent unwisely. Primary, on the other hand, is a horse to whom attention should be paid. Lightly raced and improving, this son of Giant's Causeway is 2 for 2 at the Secretariat distance. The winner of the Group 3 Sandown Classic Trial in his seasonal debut off a 6 1/2-month absence, he was fifth in the Chester Vase next time out, but that can be discounted because it came at 1 1/2 miles, a distance that is just too long for him. Primary was sent to Milan last time to prepare for the Secretariat and ran to expectations, loving the firm ground to rally off a fast pace in winning a competitive listed race. Expect him to be tracking the early pace in midpack and to close with a rush. From TT..... Posted: 8/9/2006 6:12:55 PM Fallon banned from riding in Arlington Million A Wednesday ruling by Arlington Park stewards denied the license application of English champion rider Kieren Fallon in Saturday's Arlington Million Stakes (G1), because Fallon is facing criminal charges in England. Fallon was listed as the rider of Ace (Ire) in the Arlington Million, and also was listed as the rider on Ivan Denisovich (Ire) in the Secretariat Stakes (G1) when entries were drawn on Wednesday. Both horses are trained by Aidan O'Brien, the Irish trainer who had Fallon in the saddle when he won last year's Arlington Million with Powerscourt (GB). Fallon and several others involved in racing in various capacities were charged with conspiring to defraud bettors and had their licenses revoked in England in July after a London police investigation of more than 80 races from December 1, 2002 through September 2, 2004. Despite the revocation in England, Fallon has continued to ride in Ireland and France. The racing jurisdictions there are not honoring the suspension on the premise that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty. However, Illinois Racing Board rules mandate that suspensions from other jurisdictions be honored at the state's tracks. According to the stewards' ruling: "Mr. Fallon's presence on the grounds of any facility under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Racing Board calls into question the honesty and integrity of horse racing due to his current indictment in England of conspiracy to defraud."—Neil Milbert |
Everyone is forgetting about Touch of Land.
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Not me, I am all over this horse, but I am most likely boxing an exacta and playing the pick three/four four deep so i am not technically ON HIM per say but he will be included.
Last year he was 30/1 ML and was like 10/1 odds when the line opened up, I can't find last years Million's tape but I forsure remember him making a MONSTER move and PVal getting stuck, hopefully they show it at Arlington on Saturday morning. he might even get some win money once I see how his TG's stand up |
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This is shaping up to be the race of the year in the US.
I read about Phoenix reach but I cannot take a horse that has been off for a year. Question: Do the outside posts that EC and Cacique drew make a big difference at the ARlington configuration? It looks like they lose a little ground with the start being right before the end of the turn. They of course have the whole track to position themselves properly after that... any comments? |
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Dwyer's flight canceled..... trying again tomorrow.
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Barn notes from Arlington...
‘PHOENIX’ JOCKEY DWYER’S FLIGHT CANCELLED – TRYING AGAIN FRIDAY The mass murder terrorist plot – hopefully thwarted in its entirety at London’s Heathrow airport Thursday morning – has caused numerous travel changes in the plans of some major European players for Arlington Park’s International Festival of Racing Saturday. Among them – the cancellation of English jockey Martin Dwyer’s Thursday flight from England for his scheduled mount on Winterbeck Manor Stud’s Phoenix Reach in Saturday’s 24th running of the Arlington Million. Dwyer, 31, born in Liverpool, is tentatively scheduled on an alternate flight leaving England at 7:55 a.m. London time Friday morning, but with the nature of international airline traffic under present circumstances, that flight would be far from a certainty. In June, Dwyer won the Group I Epsom Derby aboard Sir Percy, but Phoenix Reach owner Andrew Christou is a great believer in fate – as well as positive thinking. “Whatever is going to happen is going to happen,” said Christou Thursday morning, moments after Phoenix Reach was clocked in a half-mile grass breeze in :54 while the “dogs” were well out from the rail. “Yesterday, I thought we wanted to draw post position three, but now that we’ve got post six, I’ve been told that the middle of the field is a better place to be, so maybe that worked out in our favor. “Phoenix Reach is not an easy horse to ride,” Christou said. “You can’t just set any American jockey on him and expect him to know all the horse’s little habits, but these things are outside our control. All we can do is assume that everything will work out for the best. That way, it usually does.” Phoenix Reach accomplished his breeze with splits of :16, and :43, and then finished up in 1:06 3/5. “The last eighth was very impressive,” said Illinois State clocker Bobby Belpedio. “He looks very fit and racy.” “I thought he went very well,” said Phoenix Reach’s trainer Andrew Balding on the way back to the barn after the move. “The only concern I have is that he was a little bit on the fresh side. He runs best when fresh – but I just hope he’s not too fresh.” “He was nice and relaxed the first part of it,” said Belpedio, concerning that possible scenario. “I don’t know the horse, but he wasn’t rank. He wasn’t too much ‘on the bit’ even though he was dropped in along the rail. He knew he was going to work.” RENE DOUGLAS DOING HOMEWORK FOR SATURDAY’S MILLION, BEVERLY D. Arlington Park’s legendary rider Rene Douglas, the only jockey in history to win four straight Arlington riding championships, gets another chance to win his first Grade I Arlington Million this Saturday with the mount aboard Gestut Park Wiedingen’s Soldier Hollow. Twice, Douglas has been extremely close in past renewals of Arlington’s centerpiece event, and in one of those times, his evasive actions might have cost him the race while saving Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens’ life. “I had to put myself in his (Stevens’) position,” Douglas said of that sacrifice in the 2003 Arlington Million. “That could have been me on the ground. As it turned out, Gary got hurt badly anyway, but it would have been a lot worse if I’d allowed my horse to stay straight. There is no horse race in the world that is that important. “Soldier Hollow’s trainer (German-born Peter Schiergen) is giving me a DVD today (Thursday) of all his horse’s races, as well as those of some of the other European horses,” said Douglas. “So I’ve got my homework cut out for me to do later today.” British-bred Soldier Hollow, who finished second by a neck in his last start in Germany’s Group II Pferdewetten.de Trophy Stakes at the Cologne course June 18, and before that was second by a length in Italy’s Group I Premio Presidente della Repubblica at the Capannelle course on May 14. Soldier Hollow breezed five furlongs on the main track Thursday morning in 1:06.80, with exercise rider Renata Poloprutska astride. During morning training hours, trainer Schiergen walked the turf course and pronounced it as “good ground,” and that any additional rain would make it “even better.” “I’m excited to have another chance in the Million,” Douglas said, “and I also get to ride Royal Copenhagen – Mr. ‘D.’s horse – in the (Grade I) Beverly D., so this is going to be a great day for me. I think she’s going to give a very good account of herself in the Beverly D.” ARLINGTON MILLION’S MAJOR RHYTHM A MAJOR LONG SHOT TO SALUTE Longshot lovers can consider James Messineo’s Major Rhythm, winner of Arlington’s Grade III Stars and Stripes Breeders’ Cup Turf July 2, as worthy of a long look at 30-1 in the morning line. “He worked good (breezed a half on the turf in :52 Wednesday with the “dogs” out),” said Major Rhythm’s trainer Ed Beam Thursday, “and he came back good. I’ll tell you one thing – he will not embarrass himself Saturday.” |
I will be more than happy to ride Phoenix Reach. I can be up there tonight. :D
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ArlJim can ride Ace and you get Mr. Reach! |
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Let's just say I'd have a wee bit of trouble making the weight. |
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His chances went from being 100 percent with Fallon to, well..... 99 percent so was thinking you could ride him and after the race? Come pick me up and together we'd ride him off into the sunset. :p Works for me. :D From Arlington barn notes... Barn NotesRiders Named for Aidan O’Brien-Trained Horses RIDERS NAMED FOR AIDAN O’BRIEN-TRAINED HORSES According to Arlington Park racing officials, Garrett Gomez has been named to ride Ace (Ire) in Saturday’s Arlington Million, and John Velazquez will ride Ivan Denisovich (Ire) in the Secretariat Stakes. |
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Anyone else like Primary?
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I'll let Gomez handle the racing part of it, after the victory photo, I'll take it from there. Btw, I think the selection of Gomez is a good one. I'm thinking he has a big chance to take it. |
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I LOVE YOU! :D Ooops! i mean oh look! You picked Ace too. How nice. :p |
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