Two Illinois breds in Arlington Million field
The winningest post positions in the 34 runnings of the Arlington Million are No. 7 and No. 1.
When this year's posts were drawn for the 35th edition at Arlington Park, those two starting stalls went to a pair of Illinois breds.
Saturday will be the first time in Million history that two horses foaled in the Prairie State will contest the state's richest turf thoroughbred race.
The Pizza Man drew No. 7, the same post from which he became the first state-bred to win the Million in 2015. He was the eighth horse to win from that coveted No. 7 slot.
The No. 1 post has produced seven winners, and breaking from the rail will be 30-1 longshot Oak Brook, named by owner Virginia Tarra for the DuPage County community.
The Virginia Tarra Trust stable includes her husband, Rudy, whom she has known since sixth grade at Byrne School in Chicago before they attended Kelly High School.
"He does all the breeding," Virginia said. "I pay the bills and have my name on all the horses."
The name for Oak Brook came during a drive to Arlington after the colt had been born at Richard Duchossois's Hill N' Dale Farm in Barrington.
"His dam's name is Crafty Oak and it got hard to think of more names for Oak," said Virginia, who also raced stakes star Giant Oak, a Grade I champion who took third in the 2011 Breeders Cup Marathon.
"So many times the names are already used out there and rejected by the Jockey Club. So we were driving through Oak Brook and I said how about 'Oak Brook?' "
Little did she know that the horse foaled five years ago would run in Arlington's showcase event and provide her with one of the biggest thrills of her racing career.
"It's nerve-racking but very exciting," Virginia said. "We never thought we'd be in a race like this. It would be the same way if we were in the Kentucky Derby.
"We hoped for this one day. That's always your dream when you are breeding. You dream that maybe this is the one that takes you there."
Oak Brook already has taken the Tarras on quite a ride, earning close to $250,000 from 20 starts. Trained by Brian Williamson, Oak Brook won the Black Tie Affair Stakes at Arlington on June 17 and was second at 45-1 odds in the Grade II Arlington Handicap on July 8.
Oak Brook's jockey Santo Sanjur will be wearing the turquoise and white silks of the Tarra Trust.
"I chose those colors because I can see them far away," said Virginia, who along with her husband owned their first horse more than 55 years ago.
On Saturday, she hopes to see those silks in the front of the field at the finish line … and she wouldn't mind seeing The Pizza Man nearby.
"We're hoping for both of us," Virginia said of the two Illinois breds. "We've got the winning posts, so there you go.
"We love Arlington Park. It's such a nice track. Back in the day we came out every morning. Now we're getting a little too old to do it every day, but we come out when a horse is working out or things like that."
• The complete field for the Million in post position order: Oak Brook (Santo Sanjur, 30-1), Oscar Nominated (Florent Geroux, 15-1), Enterprising, (Corey Lanerie, 30-1), Ghost Hunter (Edwin Gonzalez, 30-1), Deauville (Ryan Moore, 7-2), Fanciful Angel (Daniel Muscutt, 30-1), The Pizza Man (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 12-1), Kasaqui, (James Graham, 10-1), Scottish (William Buick, 8-1), Beach Patrol (Joel Rosario, 5-1), Divisidero (Julien Leparoux, 5-1), Ascend (Jose Ortiz, 10-1) and Mekhtaal (Frankie Dettori, 9-2).
• Beverly D.: The $600,000 Grade I Beverly D. will run for the 28th time Saturday with a field of 10 fillies and mares.
From the rail out it's Dacita (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 4-1), Prado's Sweet Ride (Carlos Marquez, Jr., 30-1), Kitten's Roar (Florent Geroux, 12-1), Dona Bruja (Declan Cannon, 7-2), Grand Jeté (Joel Rosario, 6-1), Zipessa (Frankie Dettori, 15-1), Rainha Da Bateria (Jose Ortiz, 6-1), Sarandia (Andrasch Starke, 30-1), Hawksmoore (Julien Leparoux, 9-2) and Rain Goddess (Ryan Moore, 5-1).
• Secretariat: A field of six will contest the Grade 1 $400,000 Secretariat, named for the 1973 Triple Crown champ.
From the rail out it's Afandem (Frankie Dettori, 9-2), Sonic Boom (Julien Leparoux, 8-1), Permian (William Buick, 9-5), Oscar Performance (Jose Ortiz, 8-5), Gorgeous Kitten (Florent Geroux, 12-1) and Taj Mahal (Ryan Moore, 5-1).
• St. Leger: The American St. Leger is the newest of the four major stakes races Saturday. It will be run for the sixth time, serving as a Grade III event worth $250,000 in purse money.
From the rail out, the eight-horse field includes Keystoneforvictory (Julien Leparoux, 5-2), Taghleeb (Jose Ortiz, 2-1), Crewman (Carlos Marquez, Jr., 15-1), Alpha Warrior (Mitchell Murrill, 30-1), Tobias (James Graham, 30-1), Applicator, (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 9-2), Postulation (JorgeVargas, Jr., 5-1) and Bullards Alley (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 6-1).