Arlington Million

Last updated: 8/13/05 9:22 PM

Powerscourt earned a unquestionable victory in this year’s Million
(Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

Mrs. John Magnier’s POWERSCOURT (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) rallied boldly to the
lead in midstretch and drew clear under left-handed encouragement from jockey
Kieren Fallon to win Saturday’s
Arlington Million (G1) by three lengths. The
five-year-old proved similarly best last year when finishing first by 1 1/2
lengths, but he ducked in at the top of the stretch while being hit right-handed
by Jamie Spencer and was disqualified to fourth. Fallon kept the Aidan
O’Brien trainee on a straight course this time as Powerscourt
closed between rivals to collar 4-5 favorite Kitten’s Joy (El Prado [Ire])
inside the final furlong and quickly powered his way to an authoritative
victory.

“This little horse deserved to win,” Fallon said. “He was unlucky
last year to be taken down. I think it was a great training performance by Mr. O’Brien.”

Sent off the 5-1 second choice in the field of 10 and shipping in to the
United States off a runner-up finish in a Group 2 Scottish race, Powerscourt
relaxed in midpack as Whilly (Ire) (Sri Pekan) established an early pace of :24
1/5, :48 2/5 and 1:12 4/5 while being chased by Sweet Return (GB) (Elmaamul).
That rival took the lead on the far turn, but Sweet Return’s advantage was
short-lived as Kitten’s Joy and other rivals ran past him entering the stretch
drive. Last year’s turf champion looked strong as he opened a one-length lead in
upper stretch, but Powerscourt was rallying into contention and found a seam
between rivals to drive his way to the front. The winner completed 1 1/4 miles
in 2:03 1/5 over the yielding turf.

Powerscourt paid $12.40, $4.60 and $3.40, and Kitten’s Joy, who got the best
of a tight three-way photo, returned $2.40 and $2.20. Fourty Niners Son
(Distorted Humor) came rallying late to just miss the place by a nose at nearly
15-1 and gave back $5.40 for the show. It was another nose back to Breeders’ Cup
Turf (G1) hero Better Talk Now (Talkin Man), who completed the 9-1-4-6,
$1,530.40 superfecta at 7-1. Exacta holders received $29.60, and the trifecta
was good for $281.40. Touch of Land (Fr) (Lando [Ger]), Alost (Fr) (Highest
Honor [Fr]), Sweet Return, Good Reward (Storm Cat), Cool Conductor (Stravinsky)
and Whilly rounded out the order of finish.

Bred in Great Britain by Juddmonte Farms, Powerscourt was the co-highweight
in Ireland at three and owns wins overseas in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1)
and Great Voltigeur S. (Eng-G2). He finished third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup
Turf and has placed in the Racing Post Trophy S. (Eng-G1), Prince of Wales’s S.
(Eng-G1), Irish Champion (Ire-G1), Irish St. Leger (Ire-G1), Grand Prix Preis
Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (Ger-G1) and Scottish Derby (Eng-G2). He’s out of the
English Group 3 winner Rainbow Lake (Rainbow Quest) and counts multiple stakes
winner Kind (Danehill) as a half-sister as well as the unraced
two-year-old colt Electric Storm (Zafonic).

Powerscourt, who would be the first back-to-back winner of the Arlington
Million had he not been disqualified last year, has now earned $1,912,272 from a
21-5-6-3 line.