Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Crisford has shot in Million
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – North American racing fans who don’t attend to the sport in England and Dubai probably remember Simon Crisford as the longtime face and voice of Godolphin. Crisford was there for the beginning of Sheikh Mohammed’s multipronged racing and breeding operation and for more than 20 years worked as Godolphin’s spokesman.
Then came the 2013 equine drug scandal in England involving the Godolpin trainer Mahmood al Zarooni, whom Crisford had recommended as a trainer to Sheikh Mohammed. In February 2014, Crisford left his Godolphin job supposedly to become a global adviser to Sheikh Mohammed, but later that year, he steered down another path – training.
Crisford, who surely was one of England’s oldest first-year trainers at age 52, now is in his fourth season as head trainer. Things are progressing nicely. His string has grown from about 40 to nearly 100, according to his traveling head lad Les Reynolds. Crisford in 2017 relocated his yard to Kremlin House Stables in Newmarket. And to Arlington this week he has sent a 4-year-old named Century Dream, who is not without a chance Saturday in the Arlington Million.
Crisford wintered every year in Dubai during the Godolphin days and made strong connections there. Much of his client base is derived from the region. Century Dream is owned by Abdullah Belhabb, who has seen his horse progress from a solid 3-year-old handicapper to a real graded stakes type this season.
A seven-time winner from 15 starts, Century Dream scored his most important win earlier this year, capturing the Group 3 Diomed Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Epsom Downs. He went on to finish fourth, beaten less than one length, in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and appears to have the best chance of the three Europeans among the Million entrants.
“The trainer has brought him along well, just given him time, and he’s just improved for us,” said Reynolds. “William Buick won on him in the Diomed, and he said he just feels he’s getting better with age.”
Reynolds knows Arlington and knows the Arlington Million. As traveling head lad for trainer John Gosden, he was here in 2010, when Debussy, another 4-year-old and one with form not considerably stronger than Century Dream’s, won the Million.
Buick is back on Century Dream for the Million. When Frankie Dettori rode the colt July 14 in the Summer Mile Stakes, things didn’t quite go Century Dream’s Way, though he still ran a respectable fourth.
“He probably didn’t run quite to his mark,” Reynolds said. “He was keen, and Frankie said from a bad draw he couldn’t get him back. It just didn’t work out that day.”
Century Dream won over 1 1/4 miles, the Million distance, last fall at Newbury. Reynolds rates him best overseas at one mile over a course with a bit of give, but said the 1 1/4 miles at Arlington, which is undemanding by European standards, is within Century Dream’s scope. Firm, fast turf wouldn’t be a disaster, but something softer is better for Century Dream, and no one in his camp was crying when about 2 1/4 inches of rain fell at Arlington late Tuesday afternoon.
It’s possible that after this internationally significant race, Simon Crisford will be fielding questions not about a Godolphin big-race winner but about one of his own.
Halford’s first U.S. starter
Trainer Mick Halford has saddled more than 1,000 winners at home in Ireland and sent horses out to race internationally, but he is set to have his first North American runner Saturday when Platinum Warrior starts in the Grade 1, $400,000 Secretariat Stakes.
Halford, a former jockey, said all is well with Platinum Warrior, who trained here for the first time Wednesday and has recovered from a minor shipping fever that slightly set him back Sunday into Monday.
While the horse’s health no longer is a concern for Halford, weather is. Platinum Warrior is here looking for firm going, and the heavy rain that hit Arlington on Tuesday would do him no favors. There’s a chance of rain here both Friday and Saturday, and if it comes, that would dent Platinum Warrior’s chances.
At his best, Platinum Warrior won the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes earlier this year by more than two lengths, and the horse who was second, Latrobe, returned to capture the Group 1 Irish Derby. Platinum Warrior started in that race, and Halford said the colt has a major excuse for his ninth-place finish since he hit the side of his head on the gate at the start and cut his mouth.
The tactics went poorly, too, with Platinum Warrior taken back off what turned into a slow pace. Halford has given the mount Saturday to Joel Rosario and will hope things turn out better in his first American start than in the Irish Derby back home.
Brown, Saratoga boys coming
Trainer Chad Brown, who has major contenders in all three Grade 1 races here Saturday, said via text message that he intends to be on a private charter that will depart Saratoga at about 11 a.m. Eastern on race morning, with arrival in Chicago expected around noon Central. At least five jockeys also will be on the plane, which will return Saturday night to Saratoga: John Velazquez, Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose Ortiz, Joel Rosario, and Florent Geroux.
While Brown has been here to saddle horses for major races, he didn’t make the trip last year, when he swept the Million with Beach Patrol and the Beverly D. with Dacita.
American St. Leger dropped
Conspicuous by its absence from the Saturday card is the American St. Leger, which was won by such standouts as The Pizza Man (2014) and Da Big Hoss (2016) during its sixyear existence. Contested at the unusual distance of 1 11/16 miles, the American St. Leger – worth $250,000 last year – was dropped from the Arlington stakes schedule amid ongoing purse constraints.
Two other stakes remain on the Saturday card in support of the three Grade 1 events: the Grade 3, $100,000 Pucker Up, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf, and the $100,000 Bruce D. Memorial, for 3-year-olds going a mile on Polytrack.
Dona Bruja with another try
Trainer Ignacio Correas has
had the Beverly D. uppermost in mind for Dona Bruja since shortly after the Argentine-bred mare finished second in a dead heat behind Dacita last year.
“You can’t take anything from the winner, but I didn’t have the trip I wanted last year,” said Correas. “But that’s racing. The filly is training very good for this, and I’m very happy with her. It’s a tough bunch. It’s one of those races where you could run fifth and only get beat a length. We’ll try to have some luck this time.”
Blue Sky Kowboy in feature
Blue Sky Kowboy smoked his final quarter-mile in race 6 on July 20 at Arlington in 22.53 seconds – and lost.
As has been the case in many of his starts, the deepclosing 4-year-old grass horse was trying to run down horses who also were sprinting home after a slow pace. In his last two starts, Blue Sky Kowboy has been forced to rally behind opening quarter-miles slower than 26 seconds and half-mile splits of 51.24 and 52.78.
Finally, in Friday’s featured fifth race, a second-level allowance with a $50,000 claiming option carded for 1 1/16 miles on turf, Blue Sky Kowboy has found a race with some pace. Now, he just needs the weather to cooperate. Since more than two inches of rain fell her late Tuesday afternoon, it wouldn’t take much more than a shower to move Friday’s grass races to the main track.
If that happens, you might find Blue Sky Kowboy back in trainer Michele Boyce’s barn. If the race remains on grass, look for him in the winner’s circle.