Jockey Irad Oritz Jr timed his challenge to a nicety on Robert Bruce to land the spoils in the Gr 1 Arlington Million on Saturday. The International Festival of Racing embellishes the racing season. The favourite for the race, Oscar Performance was pulled up in the stretch run by his jockey Jose Oritz and was vanned off. The winner of this race gets the engraved silver invitation to the Gr 1 Japan Cup to be held in Tokyo.

Photo Courtesy : www.bloodhorse.com

The 36th running of the famous race had all the ingredients that make for a great day at the race course. In the fitness of things, it was a Chilean import which came from way off the pace to measure stablemate Almanaar in the closing moments of the race to pull off a remarkable half length win. The winner is trained by Chad C Brown.

Jockey Oritz Jr on Robert Bruce sat unperturbed in the rear as the nine-horse field took off for the mile and quarter trip. The task appeared an uphill one inside the final two furlongs as the fancied runner had considerable leeway to cover but his cause was helped by the fact that the horses in front which had gone at a furious pace were falling back. Robert Bruce showed up on the wide outside, swiftly retrieving the ground. It was clear even as the runners took the final furlong that the finishing efforts of Robert Bruce would not go in vain. British challenger Century Dream finished third but was relegated to the fourth position for interference after he drifted out in the stretch. Catcho En Die was promoted to the third position.

Robert Bruce who is by Fast Company clocked two minutes 02.29 seconds for the mile and a quarter trip in firm going. The winner, owned and bred by Haras Convento Viejo, was undefeated in six starts in his native Chile and won four group 1 races there. Sent to New York-based trainer Chad Brown, he won the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park in his first U.S. start and then finished fourth within a length of the winner in his next outing.

"He's got an unbelievable kick," Trainer Brown said of Robert Bruce. Brown said he hadn't decided on the future programme for Robert Bruce and would decide about the Japan Cup much later. It was a highly satisfying day for trainer Brown. In the three Grade 1 races on the Arlington card, his horses figured on board prominently.

"This is one of the greatest places in the world to racehorses," Brown said. He could not have put it better because the ambience and the beauty of the Arlington Race Track is comparable to some of the best in the world. Tom Krish who is well known to Indian race-goers is based in Chicago. ''I consider Arlington Race Course to be the Taj Mahal of race courses,’’ he said.

The Arlington Race Course has Indian connection as well. It was in the year 2007 that trainer Padmanabhan brought his champion colt Holding Court to race on this track. Holding Court had got the Invitation for the Arlington Million but could not make it to that race because of quarantine regulations. However, he raced unsuccessfully in an allowance race. The national flags of countries which had raced its horses on this track is a permanent feature and the Indian national flag is there because an Indian horse too had participated in the racing programme here. The other Indian connection is through jockey Suraj Narredu who rode a winner at this race course.

Racingpulse editor in chief Sharan Kumar at Arlington

''It was a pleasure to go for racing at the Arlington Park. The one important Indian connection that I would like to mention is that Suraj Narredu rode his only winner on American soil at Arlington Park. Arlington Park has a special place in my 'racing heart’ and has endless appeal as I continue to visit the suburban oval as much as I can,’’ Tom Krish said.

The first million-dollar thoroughbred race anywhere in the World was the Arlington Million. The inaugural year in 1981 saw a sensational finish, with Bill Shoemaker guiding John Henry to beat The Bart which was ridden by Eddie Delhoussaye. To commemorate the sensational finish and the inaugural running of the race, a statue of the finish has been placed near the paddock.

It was a great experience for a visiting journalist like me. The ambience and the long racing programme of the festival of racing was an experience to cherish. Though thoroughbred racing, especially in Chicago is facing hard times due to the refusal of the government to permit slot machines which would help in offering better purses to the races, the promoters are doing their best in a hostile environment. Even small shops have the license to have slot machines but the State of Illinois has not been considerate of racing authorities' request for slot machines which would have given the much-needed boost to the finances of the race clubs.