Catalano breaks own Arlington record with 75th win

Wayne Catalano celebrated breaking his own record at Arlington (Four Footed Fotos) The 91-day meeting at Arlington Park ended Sunday, with owner Frank C. Calabrese and trainer Wayne Catalano in their familiar positions atop the standings in their respective divisions while jockey Michael Baze picked up his first riding title in his first season at the suburban Chicago racetrack. Catalano saddled 75 winners to better his single-season record of 74 victories set in 2007 when he was private trainer for Calabrese. The record-setting win came on closing day when Greg Besinger’s Summer Upcountry (Trippi) wired the 4TH race by a half-length under Baze. “It’s great to break the record,” Catalano said following the milestone victory. “I’m happy to do it for my team. They work real hard and it meant a lot to them. I want to thank the owners who supply me with the horses. The run we’ve been on has been great and we’ve gotten a lot of good support.” The 2010 title is Catalano’s sixth straight crown and his ninth in the last 11 seasons overall. He has also been leading trainer in purses earned in 2002 (excluding Breeders’ Cup Day), 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008 as well as this year when his starters earned $1,514,389. The 54-year-old native of New Orleans is now the second leading trainer of all time at Arlington with 811 victories — but still well behind all-time leader Richard Hazelton, who retired earlier this year with 1,181 local tallies.

Baze won the race for leading jockey, which went down to the meet’s final
week with 104 victories, seven more than runner-up Junior Alvarado. Baze also
led in purse money earned with $2,199,740.

The white and black diamond silks of Calabrese were displayed in the winner’s
circle on 65 occasions while his horses earned a meet-leading $794,952 in
purses.  Calabrese has been leading owner in races won at Arlington Park
every year since sharing the title with Lothenbach Stables in 2000. Calabrese
has also been leading owner in purses earned in 2001, 2002 (excluding Breeders’
Cup Day), 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010, and was leading owner in purses
won excluding the winning owner of the Arlington Million (G1) in 2000, 2004 and
2009. 

HRH Princess Haya of Jordan’s DEBUSSY (Ire) (Diesis [GB]), trained by John
Gosden and ridden by William Buick, took the Arlington Million on August 21. The
win was the first in the Million for all of Debussy’s connections.

Donegal Racing’s PADDY O’PRADO (El Prado [Ire]) solidified his status as the
nation’s top three-year-old turf horse with his 1 1/4-length victory in the
$400,000 Secretariat S. (G1). The Dale Romans trainee gave jockey Kent
Desormeaux his second straight victory in the Secretariat and his third overall
in the 1 1/4-mile turf race.

However, the most emotional moment of the International Festival of Racing
came in the $750,000 Beverly D. S. (G1) when Arlington Park chairman Richard L.
Duchossois’ ECLAIR DE LUNE (Ger) (Marchand de Sable) won the race that is named
in memory of his late wife. Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally saddled the bay
filly, who was ridden to victory by Alvarado.