Late Daily Herald writer Mike Spellman remembered at Arlington with likely final namesake race

Family and friends of the late Daily Herald sports writer Mike Spellman toasted him Saturday afternoon at Arlington Park during what was likely the final running of a horse race in his honor.

About 85 of those who knew Spellman well - including Daily Herald colleagues, fellow St. Viator High School and St. James School alumni, and golfing buddies - gathered in the winner's circle to share stories and memories of the gregarious Arlington Heights resident. That was after Bramble Queen crossed the finish line first in the $75,000 Mike Spellman Memorial Stakes.

With the exception of last year, the race has been held annually since August 2015, which was seven months after Spellman died of a heart attack at age 51.

Until Saturday, the race hadn't been run on Million Day, the marquee day in the racetrack's calendar.

Neal Spellman, Mike's brother, said he was thankful to track President Tony Petrillo for putting the race on Saturday's card, on what is likely the final Million Day in the track's history.

"I would love it, if it can't exist here, to exist someplace. We would make an effort obviously if they kept the name. But my head tells me this was the final one," Neal Spellman said. "It's a good note to go out on. Million Day, exciting race.

"This is a good memory and I'm glad they didn't do it a little bit later in the year when it was closer to the demise, because that's all people would be thinking about."

"On Million Day, I think people had a chance to enjoy the pomp and circumstance a little bit more than think about the closing of the track," Spellman said.