Spirit One breezes half-mile while visiting Arlington’s Polytrack

Spirit One heads to the Polytrack for his morning exercise (Four Footed Fotos)

Multiple Group 3 hero SPIRIT ONE (Fr) (Anabaa Blue), the French-bred
and French-campaigned European invader headed for Saturday’s Arlington
Million (G1), cantered once around Arlington’s Polytrack Thursday
morning before a more serious second circle that concluded with a strong
half-mile breeze in :49.

Spirit One most recently finished second by three-quarters of a
length in Longchamp’s La Coupe (Fr-G3) on June 14, but accounted for the
Prix Exbury (Fr-G3) at Saint-Cloud in March and gave world-renowned
multiple Group 1 victor Duke of Marmalade (Danehill) a challenge when
fourth in the Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) in April.

Owner Kamel Chehboub, who is a dried fruit importer and a native of
Tunisia, and trainer Philippe Demercastel were on hand to watch the move
that was accomplished under exercise rider Emmanuel Diard.

“We didn’t make this trip for nothing,” Demercastel said immediately
following the move while speaking through translator François
Dupuis. “The horse looks very happy, so we’re very happy. The two
European horses are very strong, but we like our horse as well.”