Cape Blanco Sails Again in Arlington Million

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHaOIsVJ7QI

A yielding turf was just fine with favored Cape Blanco, who registered his second straight grade I score on North American turf in style for Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien in the Arlington Million (gr. IT) Aug. 13 at rain-soaked Arlington Park . The Irish-bred Cape Blanco capped a huge day for O'Brien, who won the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) with Treasure Beach two races earlier on the Arlington card. Jamie Spencer guided Cape Blanco, a 4-year-old Galileo colt, to an impressive 2 1/2-length triumph in a slow time of 2:05.39 for the 1 1/4 miles. The victory was a bit of redemption for Spencer, who was disqualified from victory in the 2004 Arlington Million when Powerscourt was demoted for interference in the stretch. Hes a good tough horse and hes brilliantly trained. All I did was the steering," Spencer said of Cape Blanco, who surpassed $3 million in career earnings. "There are very few horses that have the will to win like he has. The more you ask from him, the more you get from him. He had loads left in the end. Two-time American turf champion Gio Ponti rallied belatedly for second, edging Dean's Kitten. Gio Ponti won the Million in 2009 and ran second in last year's renewal. The winner had first run on us and you have to give him credit, we were second best today," said Dominguez of Gio Ponti's effort. "If you put him in striking range too soon, he is going to go too early and it takes him out of his game. He isn't three any more, but he runs so good every time he's out there. We are all so used to his consistency." Cape Blanco, the 2010 Irish Derby (gr. IT) champion, also defeated Gio Ponti by 2 1/4 lengths in

the Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park five weeks ago. Cape Blanco, who is owned by Mrs. Fitriani Hay, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael B. Tabor, was returned to Ireland prior to shipping back to Chicago this week. The Arlington Million victory carries an automatic invitation to the Emirates Arline Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs in November. Based on his previous two victories stateside, Cape Blanco would be extremely formidable in the BC Turf. The win completed a European sweep of Arlington's International Festival of Racing. In addition to O'Brien's two winners, French mare Stacelita captured the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) immediately before the Million. Mission Approved set a reserved pace over the outsider Proceed Bee, Dean's Kitten, and Cape Blanco, who tracked comfortably on the outside through early fractions of :24.81, :50.26, and 1:16.04. Mission Approved continued to lead into the stretch after completing a mile in 1:41.50. Cape Blanco launched his bid on the far turn and challenged in upper stretch to take the lead. He expanded his advantage to 2 1/2 lengths at the eighth pole, then won as much the best under some left-handed urging from Spencer. Gio Ponti, racing at the rail for Ramon Dominguez, angled out in upper stretch for the drive and was able to overcome Dean's Kitten in the final couple of strides for second. Irish-bred Wigmore Hall, a half-length farther back under female jockey Hayley Turner, rallied on the outside to edge Rahystrada for fourth. In addition to the Irish Derby, Cape Blanco won the prestigious Irish Champion Stakes (gr. IT) by 5 1/2 lengths last year. The Million win was the chestnut colt's eighth in 14 lifetime starts and boosted his career bankroll to $3,555,230. The victory was worth $576,000. Jack Ronan and Des Vere Hunt Farm bred Cape Blanco, who is out of the Presidium mare Laurel Delight. Under equal weights of 126 pounds, the 2-1 pick Cape Blanco paid $6.20, $3.80, $3.40. Second choice Gio Ponti, now winless in four starts in 2011 for trainer Christophe Clement, returned $3.40 and $2.80. The $2 exacta was worth $16.60. Dean's Kitten, off at 19-1 for trainer Michael Maker, paid $7.20 to show. After Wigmore Hall and Rahystrada came Tajaaweed, Mission Approved, Proceed Bee, Zack Hall, and General Perfect.

Treasure Beach Game in Secretariat Win

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfWLAmki0jE

Making his United States debut, English-bred Treasure Beach gamely held off fellow European invader Ziyarid to post a neck victory in the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) for 3-year-olds Aug. 13 at Arlington Park. Winner of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-I) in June, Treasure Beach led a one-two European finish in the 1 1/4-mile Secretariat , as he followed Ziyarid around for more than a mile before finally drawing on even terms at the top of the lane. The two rivals dueled for the length of the Arlington stretch before Treasure Beach edged in front late to grab the narrow victory. Colm ODonoghue flew in from Europe to ride Treasure Beach, a son of Galileo, out of the Mark of Esteem mare Honorine. The dark bay/brown colt is trained by Aidan OBrien, who won this event for the first time since 2000 when he sent out Ciro. Two races later, O'Brien would saddle Arlington Million (gr. IT) winner Cape Blanco. Treasure Beach is owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor, who also own Cape Blanco in partnership. Treasure Beach was bred in England by Ashley House Stud. Ziyarid, entering off a group III victory in France and on a three-race win streak, broke sharply under Christophe Lemaire and took the field of nine sophomore turf runners through splits of :25.43, :50.09, 1:14.64, and 1:39.92. Treasure Beach pressed the pace the whole way, with Suntracer and Banned also giving chase. Ziyarid was pinned along the rail during the stretch drive but was determined to make Treasure Beach work for it. He gamely continued his narrow advantage until inside the sixteenth-pole, when Treasure Beach finally edged in front and was all out to earn the win. Ziyarid was 1 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Banned. Willcox Inn was fourth. The final time for 10 furlongs on the yielding turf course was 2:03.91.

He wasnt doing much," O'Donoghue said. "He was finding it quite easy in the homestretch. He just kept plugging on for me. Hes very adaptable and can go on any ground. Treasure Beach, a two-time winner as a juvenile, began his campaign with a victory in the group III MBNA Chester Vase at Chester. He was 25-1 when missing the Investec Epsom Derby (EngI) by a head on June 4 and three weeks later became a classic winner when capturing the Irish Derby by three parts of a length. Last out, Treasure Beach finished fourth in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-I) July 14 at Longchamp. The colt arrived in Chicago just a couple of days before the Secretariat. Improving to 5-3-1 from 10 lifetime starts, Treasure Beach has now earned $1,869,695. Sent off as the 3-2 favorite, the winner paid $5, $3.80, and $2.40. The exacta (3-2) returned $29 and the trifecta (3-2-7) was worth $58.30 for $1. Casino Cost was fifth, followed by Newsdad, Derby Kitten, Suntracer, and L'Aiglon. Crimson China was scratched.

Stacelita Shows Her Stuff in Beverly D.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JShMa7DFC1M

Favored Stacelita added a grade I North American victory to her stellar record when she used a rail-skimming ride by jockey Ramon Dominguez to capture the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington Park Aug. 13. Martin Schwartz owns the French-bred 5-year-old mare. Stacelita, who was third facing males in the United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park last month, raced for the first time for trainer Chad Brown. The victory provides an automatic berth for Stacelita in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) as a "Win and You're In" challenge series event.

This is my third Beverly D winner," Schwartz said. "Gorella won in 2006 and Angara won in 2005. Stacelita and Chad Brown are both fantastic. Stacelita has been a magnificent animal since I first saw her and Chad has been a magnificent animal since I first saw him." Stacelita, previously trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, returned to the winner's circle for the first time since taking the Prix Jean Romanet (Fr-I) at Deauville nearly one year ago. Sent off as the 9-5 favorite in the field of 11, the solid black mare Stacelita completed the 1 3/16mile distance in 1:57.57 over a yielding turf after heavy rain earlier in the day. She surpassed $2 million in career earnings. Well-spotted after breaking alertly at the trail, Stacelita raced just behind pacesetter Dubawi Heights, with defending Beverly D. winner Eclair de Lune and Never Retreat also in contention on the outside. Quarter-mile fractions were :24.15, :49.97, and 1:15.49. Dubawi Heights, ridden by Joel Rosario, led the field into the stretch but came off the pine allowing room for a patient Dominguez to exploit with Stacelita. The daughter of Monsun responded well to get the lead near mid-stretch. After dueling briefly with Dubawi Heights, Stacelita took command in the final sixteenth of a mile to win by 1 1/4 lengths. I had an absolutely wonderful trip," Dominguez said. "I was able to sit right off the leader. Nice and relaxed, comfortable fractions. Turning for home, once I found a seam on the rail; I had to go for it and she reached for it great. Gamely Stakes (gr. IT) winner Dubawi Heights, whose four-race win streak came to an end, held on stubbornly for second by a head over the closing second choice River Jetez, the South African mare ridden by European Christophe Soumillon. "I tried to slow it down as much as I possibly could and let her go turning for home," Rosario said of the runner-up. "She responded well but the winner is just so good that our best wasn't good enough today." Stacelita, winner of the French Oaks (gr. IT) in 2009, earned her ninth victory from 14 lifetime starts. She boosted her purse total to $2,071,241 with the winner's share of $427,500. She was defeated by one length in the 11-furlong United Nations after taking the lead in the stretch but yielding late to Teaks North on firm going July 2. Jean Pierre Joseph Dubois bred Stacelita, who is out of the Dashing Blade mare Soignee. She hails from the female family of champions Steinlein, Zagreb, Schonbrunn, and Sagace. Under equal weights of 123 pounds, Stacelita paid $5.60, $3.80, $2.80. Dubawi Heights, a 4year-old Great Britain-bred daughter of Dubawi, was game while setting the pace and returned $6.80 and $5.20. The exacta was worth $57.40. River Jetez, a much-traveled 12-time winner of more than $2 million, was $3.60 to show for trainer Michale de Kock.

Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT) winner Fantasia finished 2 1/2 lengths back in fourth, followed by Upperline, Eclair de Lune, Never Retreat, Pachattack, Cheetah, Check the Label, and Romin Robin.