Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup races.Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race Results: Spirit One Wins Arlington Million at Arlington Park
Posted on Saturday, August 9th, 2008
Kamel Chehboub’s French-bred Spirit One stole Chicago’s biggest horse racing show with an unexpected wire-to-wire win in the Arlington Million Saturday at Arlington Park.
Taking command just after the break with a cleverly rated run under Basque-born jockey Ioritz Mendizabal, Spirit One, second in France’s Group III La Coupe Stakes June 14 in his last start, beat all the road rage traffic just behind and held on willingly to post a three quarter-length courageous score for his French connections, quarterbacked by trainer Philippe Demercastel.
“I took the lead because I wanted to run my race and he responded very well for me,” said Mendizabal. “I never saw what was happening behind me (the duel of his two main rivals).”
Favored Archipenko, Hong Kong’s Group I Queen Elizabeth II Cup hero owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum and Dr. A. H. Parker and conditioned by South-African top race horse trainer Michael de Kock, got clear late to finish second under his irate jockey Kevin Shea while a length and a half in front of Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier’s Mount Nelson, with Irishman jockey Johnny Murtagh up.
“Johnny (jockey Murtagh aboard Mount Nelson) had me in (trapped) all the way around,” said South-African jockey Kevin Shea after dismounting from Archipenko. “When it was time to go, I begged him (Murtagh) to let me go and he wouldn’t let me through.”
Mount Nelson, the highly-regarded British-bred who won the Group I Coral-Eclipse in his last start July 5, was just behind the pacemaker early but to the outside of Archipenko along the rail. Mount Nelson weakened gradually in the final furlong and was passed by Archipenko late, who could not quite catch the winner.
Spirit One returned $29.40, $10.20 and $6, Archipenko paid $3.40 and $2.60, and Mount Nelson paid $4 for the show.
The Arlington Million winner Spirit One set fractions of :24.66, :48.57, 1:12.40 and 1:37.40 before getting the mile and a quarter over the firm turf course in 2:02.17 while increasing his career earnings to $1,099,618.
Finishing fourth was Arlington’s Grade III Stars and Stripes Handicap hero Silverfoot, owned by Chrysalis Stables, and he was followed in order by Midnight Cry Stable’s Einstein; Fab Oak Stable, Bobby Hurley and John Goldthorpe’s Stream Cat and S J Stables’ Cloudy’s Knight.
With his Arlington Million win, Spirit One and his connections are able to take advantage of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships‘ “Win and You’re In” format, becoming one of the Breeders’ Cup horses receiving an automatic starting berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on October 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Horse racing news edited from www.arlingtonpark.com.
Horse racing tags: Archipenko, Cloudy's Knight, Einstein, Mount Nelson, Silverfoot, Spirit One, Stream Cat, Sudan
"Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race Results: Spirit One Wins Arlington Million at Arlington Park" was posted on Saturday, August 9th, 2008 at 9:15 pm and is filed under Arlington Park, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Results & Payouts, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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