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Abstract
Horses worth watching, a list of
runners compiled by handicapper/turf
writer Greg Melikov that should do
well next time out or improve considerably,
won one race, finished second eight
times and ran third five times since
July 8.
Is There a Silver Lining for the Tin
Man in Arlington Million?
The Tin Man is primed to defend his Arlington
Million title and become the only horse
to record back-to-back victories in its
25-year history.
The 9-year-old gelding, who gets better
with age, is one of the last siblings of
78 Triple Crown champ Affirmed, who passed
away in 01.
Even the great John Henry, enjoying retirement
at 32, didn accomplish that feat. But he
also got better as he got older, winning
the first of two Arlington Millions at
6.
His nose victory over The Bart in 81 is
immortalized in bronze -- both horses lifelike
battling to the wire -- at the top of the
Illinois tracks paddock.
In 83, John Henry thought he won despite
coming up a neck short of Tolomeo. "He
promptly took himself into the winners
circle," according to eyewitnesses. "It
took quite a few people to drag him out,
biting and kicking."
A year later, John Henry made amends at
9, winning five graded stakes at five different
tracks. He made his last race a winning
one, the Ballantine Scotch Classic at the
Meadowlands. It was No. 39.
When John Henry retired, he was the highest
money-winning thoroughbred with earnings
of $6.5 million.
Nowadays, when horses seldom race beyond
4, the Tin Man is an exception like John
Henry and Seabiscuit.
John Henry, named after the American folk
hero, was sold as a yearling for $1,100.
As a youngster, he had the habit of tearing
steel water and feed buckets off stall
walls and stomping them flat.
He was gelded both for his bad temper and
lack of breeding. His sire, Ole Bob Bowers,
once was sold for only $900. His dam, Once
Double, was an undistinguished runner and
producer.
The Tin Man, first and second in two �7
outings at Hollywood Park, will face a
very competitive field.
The likely favorite will be 4-year-old
After Market, winner of back-to-back Grade
1 grass stakes in California: the Eddie
Read at Del Mar and the Charlie Whittingham
Memorial at Hollywood Park.
The son of Storm Cat goes for his fourth
straight victory and his eighth in a dozen
outings. He has captured four stakes this
year on synthetic surfaces at three different
California tracks, but never raced at Arlington.
Another topnotch foe, Cosmonaut, won for
the second consecutive time the �7
Arlington Handicap, local prep for the
tracks showcase race. Last year, he finished
fifth in the Million.
Sunriver, who didn have much luck on the
dirt since winning last years Peter Pan,
captured two straight turf stakes at Belmont
this year.
Up to four foreign invaders may run. They
include a French horse and three Irish
breds, including Stage Gift, who scored
in his last two stakes -- at Longchamp
in France and the York in England.
Just 25 days before the 85 Million, the
original Arlington Park was demolished
by fire. However, 35,651 fans filled temporary
facilities to watch Teleprompter win the
race.
Marlin captured the Million at Woodbine
in 97 because work was launched to completely
rebuild Arlington. The race wasn held in
98 or 99 as the track was shuttered - thus
this is the silver anniversary edition.
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