Arlington Park officials have announced an expanded “Festival Free Pass”
In addition to the Arlington Million, the August 13 International Festival of
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Last year, a total of three European races — two for the Arlington Million
and one for the Beverly D. — were selected for the “Festival Free Pass.” For
2011, that number has increased more than three-fold to 10 overseas races —
five for the Arlington Million, one for the Beverly D. and four for the
Secretariat.
Winners of the Premio Presidente della Repubblica (Ity-G1) on May 15 at
Capannelle in Rome; the Prix d’Ispahan (Fr-G1) on May 22 at Longchamp in France;
the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1) on May 22 at The Curragh in Ireland; the
Coral-Eclipse (Eng-G1) at England’s Sandown Park on July 2; and the Grosser
Dallmayr-Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (Ger-G1) at Munich in Germany on July 31
will earn their way into the Arlington Million and have their entry and starting
fees waived for the mile and a quarter race.
The group race whose winner will get a “Festival Free Pass” for the mile and
three-sixteenths Beverly D. is the Middleton S. (Eng-G2) at York in England on
May 12 and a second race to be named later. Since fillies and mares in Europe
often race against their male peers, the winners of these races may also use the
“Festival Free Pass” to enter the Arlington Million.
“Festival Free Passes” for the 10-furlong Secretariat will be awarded to the
winners of the following races: the Dee S. (Eng-G3) at the Chester Spring
Festival in England on May 6; the Gallinule S. (Ire-G3) at The Curragh on May
22; the Bavarian Classic (Ger-G3) at Munich on May 22; and the Prix Eugene Adam
(Fr-G2) at France’s Maisons-Laffitte on July 24. The winners of these races also
may use their “Festival Free Pass” for other Festival races should they be
eligible under the conditions of those races.
“By targeting the winners of these prestigious races overseas and offering
their connections free entry to our premier races, we hope to assemble a truly
world class International Festival of Racing this August,” said Chris Polzin,
Arlington Park’s director of racing and racing secretary.
“This is a great Arlington initiative,” International Racing Bureau Managing
Director Alastair Donald added. “Hopefully this will persuade European owners
and trainers to give serious thought to running their horses at the Festival on
what is generally acknowledged to be the best turf track in North America.”
As an added bonus for horses that race at Arlington Park prior to the
International Festival of Racing, the racecourse will again waive entry and
starting fees for the Festival to the top three finishers in corresponding races
on Million Preview Day July 9.
The graded stakes races that make up the Million Preview Day program — a
staple at Arlington since 2001 — are the $150,000 Arlington H. (G3), which
serves as the final local prep for the Arlington Million; the $150,000 Modesty
H. (G3), which is the last local prep for the Beverly D.; and the $200,000
American Derby (G2), the second leg of the Mid-America Triple and a prep for the
series’ final leg, the Secretariat Stakes.
“In 2010, seven of the nine horses to finish 1-2-3 on Million Preview Day
took advantage of the ‘Festival Free Pass’ to start in the International
Festival of Racing including Éclair de Lune (Ger) (Marchand de Sable) and Hot
Cha Cha (Cactus Ridge), who made up the winning exacta in the Beverly D. after
running second and third in the Modesty five weeks earlier,” Polzin noted.
In addition, for the first time in 2011 a “Festival Free Pass” will be
offered to the winner of the Virginia Derby (G2), which will be run in July at
Colonial Downs. Last year’s Virginia Derby hero Paddy O’Prado (El Prado
[Ire]) won the Secretariat, snapping the bid for a Mid-America Triple sweep by
Workin for Hops (City Zip).