Fans who've attended nearly every Million brace for last big race at Arlington Park
Even though the name has changed, it is still a very special race day for Jim Rush.
After the Arlington Million was canceled last year due to COVID-19, Jim and his wife, Sandy, from Rolling Meadows will be back in the same seats for that they had occupied for the previous 15 Arlington Millions. They will be ready Saturday for the $600,000 Mr. D Stakes, which is the race the Arlington Million has evolved into.
Jim Rush says he is disappointed this could be the last big race at Arlington Park.
"I would like to keep the tradition going," he said. "I am hoping that they could transfer it. Churchill (Downs) still has the rights to that to race for certain number of years."
The Rushes have attended nearly every Arlington Million since its inception in 1981 when John Henry had his exciting win at the wire.
They have attended nearly every Million. Jim vividly remembers being in the portable bleachers for the "Miracle Million" in 1985.
"That was crazy," Jim said. "We were on the grass in the bleachers. It was just a fun day."
Jim said he has had great memories of both jockeys and horses coming to run on the famous turf course at Arlington Park.
"I had a chance to see most of the great jockeys of the time," Jim Rush said. "There were some that were coming to the end of their careers who won the Million like (Willie) Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay and others. We always got to see the best jockeys."
Rush also said the horses that have run at previous Million races have been some of the best in the world.
"We would get to see the best turf horse in the United States," Rush said. "I don't know the best horse came from Europe. A lot of time the second-class horses were good enough to beat our Grade 1 winners."
The Mr. D Stakes will feature one of the top turf horses that has been running exclusively in the United States in Domestic Spending. That despite that the horse was actually foaled in Great Britain.
There will be two other horses from Europe in the Irish-bred Armory and Space Traveller from Great Britain. There will be four Kentucky-bred horses in Glynn County, Two Emmys, Zulu Alpha, Bizzee Channel and Big Dreaming. Strong Tide hails from Indiana while Another Mystery is an Illinois-bred horse.
The Mr. D Stakes, which is the 9th race, will anchor a full day of racing at Arlington.
The 10-race card will also feature the $75,000 Addison Cammack Memorial, the $75,000 Mike Spellman Memorial, the $100,000 Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes, the $400,000 Grade 1 Beverly D and the $300,000 Grade 1 Bruce D. The event will end with the $75,000 Black Tie Affair.
Rush says he is looking forward to being out at one of his favorite places on Saturday with his wife and friends.
"It will be a great day," Rush said. "But I am disgusted with the whole thing. Churchill has no nostalgia. They bought and closed Hollywood. They bought and closed Calder and now they are doing it with Arlington."
The $600,000 Mr. D Stakes
Post time: 6:13 p.m. Saturday, 1ΒΌ miles (turf)
(Post, horse, morning line odds (trainer/jockey)
1. Strong Tide 15-1 (Michael Lauer/Julio Felix) - The 4-year-old has had a strong career with earnings of over $382,000. He has 7 wins in 24 starts, including a pair optional claiming races earlier this year. However, in his last three stakes races, his best finish was third.
2. Glynn County 12-1 (Michael Maker/Julien Leparoux) - He had been in the money for three starts in a row with a pair of wins and third-place finish. But when he last ran in the United Nations Stakes July 17 at Monmouth he finished fifth.
3. Domestic Spending 6-5 (Chad Brown/Flavien Prat) - The 4-year-old has raced twice this year, winning the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont and the Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill. The Great Britain horse has nine career starts and has finished first 8 times. Chad Brown trained horses have won the last four Arlington Millions.
4. Two Emmys 10-1 (Hugh Robertson/James Graham) - Two Emmys has run well, but not quite well enough to break into the winner's circle. He has had three consecutive second place finishes and the last time in the Arlington Stakes he lost to Bizzee Channel by a neck.
5. Zulu Alpha 8-1 (Michael Maker/Luis Saez) - The oldest horse in the race, this 8-year-old had a great 2020 campaign where he won three of the five races he ran and finished in the money in the other two. He had a 10-month layoff and ran in the Arlington Stakes where he finished 5th.
6. Another Mystery 20-1 (Chris Block/Jose Lopez) - An Illinois-bred, Another Mystery is looking to become just the second Illinois winner in the top-featured race at Arlington. The horse has won more than $191,000 in his career but has finished third in his two races this year.
7. Space Traveller 20-1 (Brendan Walsh/Daniel Tudhope) - Is making his first American appearance after running in Great Britain. He has raced four times this year and has won one race, while failing to hit the board in the other three.
8. Bizzee Channel 6-1 (Larry Rivelli/Jareth Loveberry) - Has run its last two races at Arlington, winning both times including the $100,000 Arlington Stakes July 17 where he broke from the three-quarter pole to win. The 5-year-old has run seven times at Arlington, winning five.
9. Armory 9-2 (Aidan O'Brien/Ryan Moore) - This Irish-bred is a true invader, never running on an American track. He has run in three stakes this year, winning once and finishing third in another. He ran fourth in his last outing July 24. Ryan Moore is one of the top European jockeys.
10. Big Dreaming 15-1 (Wayne Catalano/Adam Beschizza) - A step up in class from local owner Frank Calabrese. Big Dreaming is coming off a nice win July 18 at Ellis Park. Has been in the money in two of three races this year.