Beach Patrol wins 35th Arlington Million

As one of the premier thoroughbred trainers, Chad Brown has put his stamp of success on many tracks across the nation.

On Saturday it was Arlington Park's turn in a big way.

Brown became the first trainer to win the track's biggest races of the year in the same day.

First, it was with Dacita in the $600,000 Beverly D. Then he won the top prize in the 35th running of the Arlington Million with Beach Patrol.

"He's incredible," said co-owner Sol Kumin of the Sheep Pond Partners. "You give the guy a good horse and there's not too many people you'd rather have with that horse.

"We try to buy the best horses we can, and you've got to let him make the decisions because he's the best in the business at it."

Four-year-old colt Beach Patrol, bought privately last year, had been winless in his last six races. His last triumph, though, was at Arlington Park when he won the 2016 Secretariat Stakes.

Returning to Arlington Heights for the first time since that major 3-year-old triumph, Beach Patrol earned the biggest win of his young career with a half-length victory over 73-1 longshot Fanciful Angel in the Million.

Just when it looked like favored Deauville (Irish bred) was making a winning run along the rail in the final furlong, jockey Joel Rosario had Beach Patrol kicking into high gear on the outside to escape with a dramatic win over the fast-closing Fanciful Angel (Irish-bred) and jockey Daniel Muscutt.

Deauville took third, a neck ahead of 80-1 longshot Enterprising and jockey Corey Lanerie.

Brown also won the Million in 2013 with Real Solution.

"It was a lucky day," said Boston native Kumin, a financial manager. "I wasn't going to come this year. But this is unbelievable to win the Beverly D. and the Million in the same day. It's something you can't replicate."

Even though Beach Patrol hadn't won in a year, it wasn't for a lack of fight (he had been second four times).

"It had been a tough year for (Beach Patrol)," said Kumin, who married his wife (she played field hockey and lacrosse at Lake Forest High School) at the Drake Hotel in Chicago in 1994. "He always tries hard, but he hasn't been lucky.

"Today, Joel gave him a perfect ride. He was placed forwardly and closed really well. He loves this track. We were thrilled to get him back to the track he loves."

Beach Patrol became the first horse to win the Secretariat and Million since Marlin (1996 and 1997). Awad did it in 1993 and 1995.

Illinois-bred Oak Brook, sent off at 56-1, led all the way to the stretch before finishing sixth in the 12-horse field.

"My horse ran a really good race," said jockey Santo Sanjur, who rode for the Virginia Tarra Trust. "I was in the lead easy and he was comfortable. The other horses beat me, but he ran his race."

The Pizza Man, who became the first Illinois bred to win the race in 2015 and was sixth last year, finished 12th after moving up to sixth on the backstretch.

"He had a good trip," rider Irad Ortiz Jr. said. "He was comfortable. You can't fight him. You have to let him be him. When I asked of him, he made a little run but was just a little flat."

Beach Patrol made it back-to-back Millions wins for the No. 9 post, which hadn't won until last year (Mondialiste).

"Obviously, Chad and his team had the horse ready and we're super happy," Kumin added. "It's funny - I've seen the trophy and Chad always talked about this as the best trophy in horse racing.

"It's always been on the bucket list, and I'm super fortunate to be here with my kids and dad. It doesn't get much better than this."