South African racing has two recent bitter-sweet memories of the now defunct Arlington Park, which was home to the world’s first million dollar race, The Arlington Million.
In 2008 Mike de Kock ran Archipenko (Kingmambo) in the Arlington Million and he might well have won had Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh not kept him in a pocket in the straight. Murtagh was entitled to do so, but some would have let Kevin Shea if knowing their mount had no chance of winning and that looked true in the case of Mount Nelson, who had no extra.
Spirit One won the race with Archipenko a three-quarter length second and Mount Nelson a 2,25 length third.
CLICK HERE to watch a replay of the race.
In 2013 De Kock took the Scott Brothers SA-bred The Apache (Mogok) over to run in the Arlington Million and he crossed the line first under Christophe Soumillon. However, he had carried second-placed Real Solution outward in the closing stages and the subsequent objection was not surprisingly upheld.
CLICK HERE to watch a replay of that race
Arlington Park is now no longer.
The Paulick Report ran a three-part report about the auction for the course.
