Ramseys have a very Special Grade I Saturday - By Tom Krish
Posted on - 19 Aug 2013
Ramseys have a very Special Grade I Saturday
Tom Krish
Chicago
Saturday's disqualification of The Apache, the winner of the Arlington Million, and the promotion of Real Solution to first, is the third time in 31 runnings of the race that the winner was not permitted to keep the prize. A Sunday morning report has said that Mike de Kock, The Apache's trainer, after watching the video of the 2000-metre turf race, agreed with the decision of the stewards.
It was in 2003 that Sulamani was declared the winner after the disqualification of Stormin Home ridden by Gary Stevens. Sulamani gave Sheikh Mohammed his only success in the big race.
There was drama again in 2004. Powerscourt, hailing from Aidan O'Brien's yard, came from far back to win. However, in the process, Jamie Spencer and Powerscourt had interfered seriously with Kicken Kris and Kent Desormeaux. In a matter of minutes, the placings were altered. At the end of the year, Spencer and O'Brien said goodbye to each other. Kieren Fallon signed on as Ballydoyle's principal jockey.
Here is a note about Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Their Big Blue Kitten won the Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga in New York on Saturday. The next Grade I win was in Arlington's Secretariat. Real Solution made it three Grade I victories for the Ramseys. The streak came to an end in Del Mar, in San Diego, California. In the De Mar Oaks, Ramseys had two runners who finished third and fourth.
Kitten's Joy won the Secretariat in 2004. He was second in the 2005 Million and was retired. Now, Kitten's Joy's two sons have won two Grade I races at Arlington Park.
There were 34,222 fans at Arlington Park on Million Day. There were enough mutuel clerks. Wagering was brisk. The weather cooperated.
Ryan Moore rode three winners on Friday at Newbury in England. He flew to Chicago and had winners in the American St Leger and the Beverly D.
William Buick had a winner in England on Friday and made the trip to ride in American on Saturday.
Christophe Soumillonhad the chagrin of being denied a win in a Million dollar event in Chicago. He was in action at Deauville on Sunday. Paris is seven hours ahead of Chicago. Soumillon could not have been in a joyous mood. Top jockeys set their frustations and disappointments aside quickly and look forward to their following commitments. Soumillon won the 2 PM (second) race at Deauville with Anthares, a 2/1 chance.
Christophe Lemaire, also at Deauville's Sunday meeting, scored with Verema, a 14/5 proposition owned by the Aga Khan. The race was the Group II Darley Prix Kergolay. It was the sixth race at Deauville run at 4 15 PM local time.
I chatted with Chris Hayes. He talked about his experience in India. "I am trying to cement my position in Ireland. I have had a good year in 2013. The horses I am riding are good quality. I do not believe I'll come to India," he stated.
"I'm leading a life that requires me to be doing something every minute. I arrived today (midmorning Saturday) and am leaving after the races. I have mounts at Deauville on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing you in Paris for the Arc," Lemaire said.
Arlington Park had 12 races and that made the afternoon too long. At least, three races had no place in an 'out-of-the-top-drawer' card. The four big races were run as the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth races. The interviews could not be held. The jockeys and the trainers hardly had time to catch their breath. Network TV coverage is what dictates order of the races but the Million could be shown live and the other three shown as replays. In any case, a regular racing TV channel carried all the 12 races live.
Eight may be nine races should be the limit. A 12-race card becomes physically exhausting and financially demanding. And the expert comments in the official program read like essays required for a Master's Degree. No fan has the time and the patience. The beauty is in expressing one's thought in a crisp way. Not more than 20 words for a horse and that will help the fans focus on what is being written.
There were Group I races run at Saratoga and De Mar on Saturday. There was Grade I action on Sunday in Deauville, France.
Finally, StephanePasquier has been suspended for testing positive for a prohibited substance. French jockeys delayed by 10 minutes the start of a race at Deauville on Sunday to support Pasquier's cause.
Niall McCullagh rode in England and had winner for trainer Brian Meehan the other day. He rode another winner on the all weather at Dundalk in Ireland.
