The three races at Arlington Park leading up to the Arlington Million were all graded stake turf affairs. All three races saw front-running horses fade in the stretch.
From a handicapping standpoint, the inside part of the turf course was a little soft. In fact, after riding the winner in Arlington’s 8th race, the Beverly D. Stakes, jockey Florent Geroux noted that the outside part of Arlington’s turf course seemed more firm.
The “good to firm” going may have been an advantage to the European shippers but it surely didn’t bode well for one of my selections, front runner Take The Stand, in th 34th running of Arlington’s signature race as Mondialiste was able to sustain his 3-4wide bid around both turns tackling the frontrunners and taking home the top prize.
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Mondialiste returned $10.80, $6.40, and $4.80 while longshot Kasaqui rallied for place at $13.20 and $9.40 and Deauville, the field’s lone 3-yr old returned $7.00 to show.
In addition to the winner’s share of the $1,000,000 purse, Mondialiste is also guaranteed a spot in the 2016 Breeders Cup Turf in November.
As predicted, Take The Stand darted straight to the front and cut relatively soft fractions (49.74 half mile), but on the soft inside lane of the turf course. With post time favorite World Approval on the leader’s flank, the rest of the field bided their time looking for position entering the stretch. As the front pair faded, Mondialiste continued to grind on the outside and held off a game Kasaqui for the win.
If you read my Million preview, you know that I always fear and respect the foreign horses in this race. It’s hard to dismiss any of them. They all come in with class and pedigree and these shippers always make an impact. This year’s results proved no exception as the top 3 finishers were bred outside of North America. Mondialiste and Deauville in Ireland and Kasaqui in Argentina. All 3 have also had at least one career race in the U.S. under their belt.
Mondialiste took the jump across the pond last year for a victory in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and then came up just short in the Breeders Cup Turf, finishing 2nd six weeks later at Keeneland. This year’s trip is starting off on the right foot again. After his Arlington Million victory I will venture that he will not be dismissed at 17-1 when he enters the gate at Santa Anita for this year’s Breeders Cup Turf.
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The biggest gamble that almost paid off big was made by Deauville’s connections. Deauville, a 3yr old, looked better suited to today’s $450,000 Grade I Secretariat, a 1-1/4 mile turf race race for 3yr olds. Trainer Aidan O’brien must have thought alot of this colt to enter him against a 13 horse field of older horses. Deauville came within a length of rewarding his connections for that confidence.
Pizza Man, the Illinois bred local hero and 2015 Arlington Million champ, was bet down to odds as low as 3-1 before settling at 9-2 (his morning line was 10-1) and finishinbg mid-pack.
