My favorite Arlington Million

This week, we'll be strolling down memory lane to revisit several Arlington Millions that hold special personal meaning for us. This second of two "team blogs" looks back on our favorite Million memories.

(Powerscourt photo courtesy of Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

Vance Hanson: My favorite Arlington Million involves, arguably, the race's greatest winner. Compared to the previous year when 14 showed up, only eight were entered for the 1987 Million. However, it was really a three-horse showdown between defending turf champion Manila, his Breeders' Cup Turf foil Theatrical, and former European mainstay Sharrood, who had begun making a name for himself in California under the care of John Gosden. Put off slightly by Manila's recent loss in the Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga (ignoring the fact he had given 12 pounds to Talakeno), and thinking Theatrical was still inferior to Manila, I thought Sharrood had the goods to pull of a minor upset, especially after seeing a replay of his impressive win in the Eddie Read at Del Mar. Sharrood may have been the value play at nearly 4-1, but neither he nor Theatrical were any match for the brilliant Manila, who exuded class in the stretch under Angel Cordero Jr. as the even-money choice. Sadly, it turned out to be Manila's last race as he was injured soon after while preparing for a possible trip to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. Despite the black-and-white evidence, Theatrical's longevity was rewarded at season's end with an Eclipse Award as champion turf male. Longevity was also rewarded in the Horse of the Year vote with Ferdinand winning despite a relatively modest record. To this day I fervently believe Manila was the best horse to set foot on a racetrack in the U.S., and possibly the world, in 1987. That he lost both awards, and had to wait 21 years for induction into the Hall of Fame, was most lamentable.

Kellie Reilly: The 2005 Arlington Million was indeed a “revengeful run” for Powerscourt, as track announcer John G. Dooley summed it up. As an ardent Powerscourt fan, I am still aggrieved over his disqualification from a clear-cut success in the 2004 Million. The notion that “interference” cost Epalo, who wilted to fourth, is beyond me. Kicken Kris was affected in the chain reaction of Epalo’s shying away from Powerscourt, but you’d be hard pressed to say he’d have done any better than his actual finish -- second across the line. Hence Kicken Kris rates as a lucky winner in the stewards’ room, with an asterisk next to his name forever in the annals. The frustration mounted in that fall’s Breeders’ Cup Turf, where Powerscourt made a mystifyingly early move. For a horse who was best at 1 1/4 miles, forcing him into a middle move in a 1 1/2-mile championship event (on yielding ground no less) was a tactical disaster. No wonder he was outfinished by Better Talk Now and Kitten’s Joy. Fast forward to the following August at Arlington, and the record was set straight. Powerscourt deployed a sparkling turn of foot to slice between Kitten’s Joy and Better Talk Now and careered away by three lengths. No one was going to strip him of this laurel. We never saw him on a racecourse again, but it was a sweet mission accomplished.