Breeding & Racing Magazine

Spirit One Wins US Gr1 Arlington Million

In the US, French-bred 4YO entire Spirit One (Anabaa Blue-Lavayssiere, by Sicyos) led all-the-way to score a 0.75-lengths victory in the US$1 million Gr1 Arlington Million Stakes (10 furlongs on turf) at Arlington Park in Chicago. Spirit One (ridden by Loritz Mendizabal for trainer Philip Demercastel) defeated Gr1-winning favoured fellow 4YO entire Archipenko (Kingmambo-Bound, by Nijinsky ) & Gr1-winning UK-bred 4YO entire Mount Nelson (Rock Of Gibraltar-Independence, by Selkirk). At his previous start, Spirit One finished runner-up in France's Gr3 La Coupe (2000m) at Longchamp in June; & earlier this season he also finished runner-up in April's Gr2 Prix D'Harcourt (2000m) at Longchamp, after winning March's Gr3 Prix Exbury (2000m) at Saint-Cloud. Last year Spirit One finished runner in both France's Gr2 Prix Guillaume D'Ornano (2000m) ay Deauville & Gr2 Prix Noailles (2100m) at longchamp, as well as finishing 3rd in the Listed Prix Omnium II (1600m) at Saint-Cloud. And in 2006 Spirit One won both France's Gr3 Prix Des Chines (1600m) at Longchamp & Listed Criterium Du Fonds Europeen De L'Elevage (1600m) at Deauville, as well as finishing runner-up in the Gr1 Criterium International (1600m) at Saint-Cloud). Overall he now has 5 wins & 8 placings from 18 starts for US$1,099,618 earnings.