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The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flat horse race for thoroughbred horses aged three years and older. The Arlington Million is raced over a distance of 2000 meters (1 and a quarter miles) at Arlington Park, Illinois.
As the name of the race infers, the original purse for the race was 1 million US dollars, and the race is perfectly placed in the summer so that European horses can be enticed to enter before their autumn year-end championship events. The race has grown in stature ever since John Henry entered and won the first Million.
His exciting victory over The Bart in the first race remains one of the greatest races in North American racing history.
On soft ground, which he did not like, John Henry seemed to be beaten a quarter mile from the finish. However, the heroic gelding, ridden by Bill Shoemaker, summoned enough reserves in the final furlong to rally and finally beat The Bart right on the wire. That historical finish is commemorated in a bronze statue looking out over the Arlington paddock.
In 2007, Catherine Day Phillips became the first-ever female trainer to win the Million, whilst Jambalaya became the first Canadian bred horse to win the race |
