The Arlington Million

[FrankD.]

They say one door closes and another one opens. While a Spa Saturday card cancelling would normally be a catastrophy in my life! The woes of NYRA actually provided 3 hours of television coverage of the Arlington Million. It may very well be the beautiful facilities last big moment in the sun?

In 1981 Arlington Parks owner Richard Duchossois  (Beverly D, & Bruce D.) and president Joe Joyce announced that they would host the first million horse race in North America.It would be a turf race and its August dates timing was such the the Euro\'s could take advantage of a void in their championship schedule to cross the pond.The race was an instant hit as John Henry (Willie Shoemaker) nosed out The Bart in the inaugural running and after a mere 2 years it was designated a Grade 1 due to the world wide talent it attracted.

The 1983 addition saw Tolomeo become the first Euro winner beating John Henry by a neck and in 1984 a 9 year old gelding named John Henry became the races first and only 2 time winner en route to an incredible Horse-of-the Year title at his age.

1985 brought the \"Miracle Million\" that took place a mere 25 days after a very suspicious fire that burnt the Arlington Park grandstand to the ground. The debris was cleared (sort of) and temporary tents and seating were set up. The fire story has quite a seedy Runyonesque history of its own!

Manilla (my favorite turf horse EVER) blasting past Theatrical with Angel Cordero on board in 1987 holds a special race track memory as my girlfriend, soon to be wife of 26 years, now ex wife got into a heated argument with a teller. The triple came back Manilla, Sharod ( Laffit Pincay) and Theatrical (Pat Day) the 3 chalks in order. My wife was super excited as she was cashing I believe her first trifecta ever and was beyond disappointment when the teller handed her $17 for her $1 box. She proceeded fueled by a series of some sort of rum in the sun Island drinks to accuse the teller of robbing her. \"I had the trifecta it has to be more than $17 dollars\" In the words of my buddy track john. \"you can\'t make this stuff up\"

I\'ve been to a half dozen runnings of this brilliant innovative event all in the 80\'s during my Chicago days, I hope the doors stay open long enough for me to
get to one more?

Good luck,

Frank D.

[Topcat]

It helps that it\'s a terrific grass course -- again, pounding home the point that in terms of turf courses, typically the older and more seasoned, the better.

     -- Another Native of the City of Wind

[billk5300s]

Well said as always Frank D.  Arlington Park is the most beautiful facility in racing.  I realize that I\'m partial because I live 30 minutes away from it.

[Topcat]

If only they could find a way to bring back real, by-God, safe dirt -- not to mention infinitely-more income.

[milwmike]

Frank, don't wait too long.  I've been to every Million except when I was on our honeymoon (saw a Group 1 at Baden Baden to mark the occasion).  Even ventured to Woodbine to keep my streak intact.  I was lucky enough to be invited to a suite yesterday and had a birds-eye view of things.  Grandstand seating was less than 50% occupied, west end parking lot was maybe a third full.  Back in the day, the place was packed.

We probably bumped into one another at the Miracle Million – I went to about ¾'s of those race dates.  Just surreal and very special.

Manila – I remember like it was yesterday, him schooling in the paddock, Bradley Shannon and LeRoy Jolley in a corner of the paddock watching his every step.  He was some racehorse.

Mike

[Silver Charm]

Well written Frank. I was at that Miracle Million on a summer assignment 10 minutes from a track that had just burned down. Ugh. Cross town trips to Hawthorne to get a fix. At least I got to see firster Meadowlake break his maiden by 25 lengths.

The Million was a big deal because a $Million was a lot of money. I didn\'t really see a strong European group come. Hey a bunch of strong California horses didn\'t come. Maybe there there aren\'t any. This was a big day, and looked like a big event. But perhaps the same signs exist here that are more obvious on an everyday small field, small pursed short race card day.

[FrankD.]

Silver you are such an exaggerator! Meadowlake did not win his debut by 25, I was there as well

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/167804/meadowlake-dies-at-age-22

[Silver Charm]

A couple of interesting stories about that year, horse and race. Even TGJB could weigh in. There was so much sand in the track that times for six furlongs in like 1:13 were almost stakes quality. Meadowlake went in 109:3. Trainer D Wayne Lukas came in early and walked the track for some horse he might ship for the Futurity and Lassie (winner Family Style) and remarked it was IMPOSSIBLE to run the time Meadowlake did. IMPOSSIBLE.

I flew, by chance, on a leg from Orlando to Louisville next to Meadowlakes jockey Juvenal Diaz. I asked him about Meadowlake and he said first time he got on the horse he went back to Bert Sonnier and asked \"Bert what is this 2YO\'s name because he can TOTALLY fly.\" Sonnier kept it a secret until the required gate card work was performed. Prior to this he mentioned they were discussing running him in the Grade One Hopeful as a first time starter!!! Instead he ran in the first at Hawthorne and paid $7.00.....

[prist]

Sonnier might have kept it a secret, but people knew about this horse. I was there with A.J. Foyt III who was running a horse later that day at Hawthorne. He mentioned there was Sonnier horse entered that could really fly. The groom and I got fancy and decided to wheel MEADOWLAKE in the early double. Don\'t recall if MEADOWLAKE was in the 1st or 2nd race, but a longshot won one of the DD races and the double came back over a $100.

As for Illinois racing ... they\'re waiting for slots.

[prist]

The other part of the MEADOWLAKE story is that I don\'t the fast work prior to the maiden score was published in the Daily Racing Form. The clockers made a mistake, or maybe it wasn\'t a mistake, but they credited the work to a horse by the name of MEADOW LAKE ... not MEADOWLAKE. That\'s what I seem to recall.

[FrankD.]

There were quite a few mistakes made by clockers before the information age! Even a few since.

What I recall most about Meadowlake was the run of precocious colts and fillie\'s he sired one after another for his first few years at stud. They did not publish such information back in the day but I would bet his firsters won at a 20% clip for awhile. It seemed a lot higher as his first timers were almost an automatic wager.

[richiebee]

Sonnier had a reputation on the backside. His stable help were at the barn until
almost noon, where employees at most other barns had usually \"done up and fed\" by
10:30 am.

Sonnier\'s nickname on the backside: \"All Day Sonnier\".

Still remember the great BBQs the Foyt family had on the backstretch at CD on
Derby Day