'TDN Rising Star' Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) became the first horse since Marlin (Sword Dance {Ire}) in 1996 and 1997 to win the GI Secretariat S. and GI Arlington Million in consecutive years, sitting a pace-pressing trip beneath Joel Rosario and staving off a late bid from 73-1 Fanciful Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) to annex America's original seven-figure race by a half-length. Favored Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who sidestepped a possible matchup with Beach Patrol in last year's Secretariat and was instead a game third against his elders in this race, could not capitalize on an ideal trip and rounded out the trifecta for the second straight year.
It was a stakes double for Head of Plains Partners' LLC Sol Kumin, who also races GI Beverly D. S. winner Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy) in partnership.
“This was the spot and the race we've been waiting for a year,” said Kumin, who campaigns Beach Patrol with Jim Covello and Sheep Pond Partners. “He loves it here, Joel gave us a great ride, obviously Chad and his team had the horse ready and we're super happy. It's funny I've seen the trophy and Chad always talked about this is the best trophy in horse racing. It doesn't get much better than this.”
Brown, who saddled Real Solution (Kitten's Joy) to win the 2013 Million via DQ, joins his mentor Bobby Frankel–among others–as two-time winners of the race.
Saturday, Arlington Park
ARLINGTON MILLION XXXV S.-GI, $1,000,000, AP, 8-12, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 2:02.39, fm.
1–BEACH PATROL, 126, c, 4, by Lemon Drop Kid
1st Dam: Bashful Bertie, by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Clever Bertie, by Timeless Native
3rd Dam: Clever But Costly, by Clever Trick
'TDN Rising Star' ($250,000 Wlg '13 KEENOV). O-James
Covello, Sheep Pond Partners & Head of Plains Partners LLC;
B-Nancy C. Shuford (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Joel Rosario.
$564,000. Lifetime Record: 15-4-5-3, $1,456,945. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”sallusto-albina-double-bullet-private-purchase”][bullet ad=”elmtree-salesgrad”]2–Fanciful Angel (Ire), 126, g, 5, Dark Angel (Ire)–Fanciful
Dancer (GB), by Groom Dancer. (€80,000 Wlg '12 GOFNOV;
€50,000 RNA Ylg '13 GOFORB; 50,000gns 2yo '14 TATBRE;
135,000gns 4yo '16 TAJUL). O-Touch Gold Racing; B-Berjis
Desai (IRE); T-Marco Botti. $188,000.
3–Deauville (Ire), 126, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Walklikeanegyptian
(Ire), by Danehill. O-Mrs. Fitriani Hay, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John
Magnier & Michael B. Tabor; B-Mrs F. H. Hay (IRE); T-Aidan P.
O'Brien. $94,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: HF, NK, HD. Odds: 4.90, 73.10, 1.80.
Also Ran: Enterprising, Ascend, Oak Brook, Divisidero, Oscar Nominated, Kasaqui (Arg), Mekhtaal (GB), Ghost Hunter, The Pizza Man. Scratched: Scottish (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
At his best when allowed to race on or near the front, Beach Patrol was aggressively ridden away from gate 10 by Joel Rosario, replacing Florent Geroux for the Million, and the duo managed to gain critical forward position, just to the outside of the longshot leader Oak Brook (Giant's Causeway) with a lap of the Arlington turf course to navigate. Deauville secured a perfect spot just behind the pacesetters and saving every inch of ground and the tempo was about par for the Million-an opening quarter-mile in :24.45 and a half in :49.53. It appeared that Rosario was intent on trying to make the lead about midway up the backstretch when GIII Arlington H. upsetter Ghost Hunter (Ghostzapper) went for a three-wide run, but Oak Brook countered and Beach Patrol was content to hold second for the run into the far turn. More or less on even terms on the circle, Beach Patrol was floated out into the three path by Oak Brook, a move that had Ryan Moore licking his chops, as he shot Deauville through that inviting opening and into a short lead in upper stretch. But, just as he did last year when eyeballed by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Long Island Sound (War Front) in the Secretariat, Beach Patrol stiff-armed that rival and kicked home to scoop his biggest prize to date. Fanciful Angel made steady progress around the far turn, came out for the drive and finished well to spice up the exacta, while Deauville just held third from perfect-trip Enterprising (Elusive Quality).
“They told me I had to get him out of the gate, get into a good position and let him find himself,” Rosario said. “It took a little bit of time, but he really found his way after. I appreciate the chance and the opportunity to be able to ride him today.”
Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off a powerful allowance win going gate-to-wire at Santa Anita last April, Beach Patrol was a tough-trip third to Deauville in last year's GI Belmont Derby, but exacted his revenge on Ballydoyle with his head defeat of Long Island Sound in the Secretariat. Runner-up in his next four runs, including a half-length loss at the hands of Divisidero (Kitten's Joy) in the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic May 6, the dark bay was fourth from off the pace in the GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. June 10 and was most recently third as the chalk in the 11-furlong GI United Nations S. July 1.
Pedigree Notes:
Beach Patrol's dam, an unplaced full-sister to MGSW Allamerican Bertie and a half to MGSW & GISP Hurricane Bertie (Storm Boot) was purchased by Elm Tree Farm's Jody Huckabay as agent for $90,000 while offered not in foal at the 2010 Keeneland November sale. The mare's first foal for breeder Nancy Shuford was Ras Abrouq (Malibu Moon), a $205,000 Keeneland November weanling and $450,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Shuford's profitable association with Bashful Bertie continued at the 2013 Keeneland November sale when Beach Patrol was purchased by Ben Glass, agent for Gary and Mary West, for $250,000 from the Elm Tree consignment. The current 2-year-old out of Bashful Bertie, a Speightstown colt named Kawasir, was a $400,000 acquistion by Shadwell at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. A full-sister to Kawasir was foaled this past Feb. 11 and Bashful Bertie was bred to Flatter in the current breeding season.
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