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Arlington Million Weekend 2006 |
Welcome to Globeform's big Arlington Million Weekend Special section - where you will find full preview coverage to the big day at Arlington on Saturday, August 12, plus selections also to all races at the Chicago track on Friday.
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| Million contender: The Tin Man |
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He just missed out on a paycheck when sixth in the Arlington Million threee years ago. That was as a 5-year-old, when The Tin Man was chasing horses like Sulamani, Storming Home and Paolini. Now aged eight, he returns to the ’Windy City’ for another crack at the big prize.
Sparsely raced, this son of Affirmed is 10-for-25 lifetime, and he has a remarkable 68% on-the-board strike rate. His two runs this year, a game second in top class company in Dubai and a solid Grade 2 win at Hollywood Park, prove that he is nearly as good as ever. That in itself, is an achievement by his trainer Richard Mandella. Can the Million be won by an older horse like this? Well, one champion won it at nine... his name was John Henry.
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| Million contender: Phoenix Reach |
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The well travelled Phoenix Reach represents England in this edition of the Arlington Million. His best performances give him a serious chance in the big race – but can a horse coming off a twelve-month layoff land a championship event like this? His career has been interrupted by injuries and setbacks but when all is well, he a pretty serious runner.
Andrew Balding’s 6-year-old has not been seen in action since finishing a well beaten tenth in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (G1) last summer. That was way below his best. He had previously won G1 contests in Canada, Hong Kong and Dubai, and Phoenix Reach is a tough horse. His win in the 2005 Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) proves that he does not need a prep race to put up a solid performance.
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| Million contender: Ace |
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Ace runs for Aidan O’Brien, trainer of last year’s ’Milllion’ winner Powerscourt – the horse who had been demoted after passing the post first also in the 2004 edition of the Million. On his day, Ace is nearly as good as Powerscourt was. But he seldom wins. Is that simply because he has been tried a bit too highly or is he one of those horses who lacks the will to win? One might think so, as he has been runner-up to stars like Azamour in England and Shirocco in North America, yet failed to beat lesser known Alayan and Mustameet in Ireland this year.
He ran the race of his life behind Shirocco in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) – where the moderate pace suited Ace really well. Although he has solid results over 1 ½ miles, Ace is more of a 1 ¼-mile horse. The Million trip will suit him.
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| Million contender: Cacique |
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Cacique, undoubtedly the best bred horse in the Arlington Million field, is also one of numerous Juddmonte horses fortunate enough to have been guided by two of the world’s finest trainers, Andre Fabre in France and Robert Frankel in the US. Cacique came to Frankel last winter, after having been a ”nearly horse” in France – and the move has already paid off. He won the Manhattan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park in June. Connections will be looking for a repeat performance on Saturday.
CACIQUE (Danehill) – Globeform 118
Last four: GF 114+ 112+ 118 – 118
Racing over 10 furlongs, he was brilliantly ridden in front by Edgar Prado in the Manhattan – and just held on from a fast finishing Relaxed Gesture (who had been compromised by the steady pace). Ten furlongs is not ideal for Cacique, who is better over a mile and 9 furlongs. He was beaten by English Channel in the United Nations Handicap (G1) next time out. English Channel was fourth in the Manhattan – and these shufflings of results are typical for the top four or five turf horses in North America this year. They are very closely matched, and take turns in beating each other. Pace, trip, ground and luck play crucial parts when they meet.
This Million is not loaded with speed – something that will suit Cacique, and he probably has a winning chance. He is very game and genuine and will run a big race. It will be his fifth race Stateside and, quite interestingly, Arlington will be the fifth track he tries. He has raced at Santa Anita, Churchill Downs, Belmont Park and Monmouth Park.
Cacique was unlucky on his seasonal debut at Santa Anita, when floated extremely wide on the turn in the Kilroe Mile (G1) – where he was seventh, but only beaten a length behind the winner Milk It Mick (who enjoyed a dream run). Cacique was giving the winner 3lbs that day – and he turned the tables on Milk It Mick when they ran second and third, behind English Channel, in the Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs two months later. Another month later he became a Grade One winner in the Manhattan.
He ran 11 times when trained by Andre Fabre, and he won five races for the French champion trainer, who put him up against some of the best turf runners in the world on more than one occasion. Unraced as a two-year-old, Cacique won his first two races in 2004, before stepping up to the Prix Jean Prat (G1). A colt named Bago proved too good in the 9-furlong contest, beating Cacique by 3 lengths. They met again in the 10-furlong Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (G1) three weeks later, and the exacta was repeated. Now with Bago only half a length ahead.
He went gate to wire when dropped down to Group 3 company next time out, to beat Ershaad by half a length. A trip to England followed (his only race outside France to date) but a sticky turf course did not suit him in the Juddmonte International (G1) at York. Still, Cacique checked in fourth, behind Sulamani, Norse Dancer and Bago.
He closed his 3yo season with a win in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) at the Arc meeting, when he came from off the pace to gain a facile half-length win over Hurricane Alan. Bred to improve with age, expectations were high for Cacique last year, but – though he ran some solid races – he did not improve on his 2004 form. After running well below his best first time out, he moved forward in the Prix d’Ispahan (G1), where he finished really well to be third behind Valixir and Elvstroem. Valixir went on to beat Rakti in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1) in England, while Elvstroem had landed the Dubai Duty Free (G1) early in the season. Touch of Land finished fourth and Charmo (also now in the US) was fifth. The Ispahan was a solid Group One.
Prepping for another crack at a Group One, Cacique gained a smooth success in the Prix de Chemin de Fer du Nord (G2) over a mile at Chantilly. Going off as second favorite, he set his own pace and won by 2 ½ lengths from subsequent G3 winner Special Kaldoun, with G3 winner Tiganello third and G1 winner Whipper back in fourth place. A break followed, before Cacique took on the big guns again in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1), one of Europe’s top mile races. He ran well below his best, to finish seventh of nine, 7 lengths behind the winner Starcraft. This was his last race in 2005 and also his last for Fabre, who trained him to produce Globeform 118 in France – which is the same mark he ran to in the Manhattan and United Nations this year.
Can he improve? Well, Cacique is not – yet – in the same class as his famous sister Banks Hill or brother Dansili but his best performances compare favorably with his sister Intercontinental’s best form. Like her, and the rest of his excellent family, Cacique is at his best on firm ground. He is effective from 8 to 10 furlongs and he has a big plus in that he can race up with the pace or be held up at the back.
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