Mile

Race No. 4 — The Century Dream Mile (Turf)

By Paul Buckley

An international cast of 14 turf specialists heads postward,
with each fully prepared to deliver the performance of a lifetime.
Here they are in post position order:

Following are race records (year chosen and lifetime) for each
horse, as well as notable accomplishments and other tidbits:

Now, for the race:

TUDOR MINSTREL charges to the lead from the outset with LURE
in close pursuit as those two angle toward the rail. MIESQUE
takes up a stalking position on the inside, and RIDGEWOOD PEARL
matches strides a neck back in fourth. PRETTY POLLY breaks
alertly, then settles into stride along the rail behind the
leaders, with ROYAL HEROINE to her outside and PETITE ETOILE a
half-length back in seventh. STEINLEN, BAHRAM, DA HOSS and
SPINNING WORLD race heads apart, while PEBBLES, SADLER’S WELLS
and BRIGADIER GERARD bring up the rear as the field enters the
clubhouse turn.

TUDOR MINSTREL accomplishes the first quarter-mile in a swift
:22 3/5, with LURE skimming the rail a half-length back in second.
There are few position changes through the turn, although
SPINNING WORLD gets caught four wide toward the back of the pack
while MIESQUE, PRETTY POLLY, STEINLEN and PEBBLES manage to save
ground.

In the run down the backstretch, TUDOR MINSTREL extends his
lead over LURE to 1 1/2 lengths and passes the half-mile mark in
a quick :45 3/5. Mike Smith takes LURE off the hedge, allowing
MIESQUE to move up along the inside as they approach the far turn.
RIDGEWOOD PEARL races in fourth, with PRETTY POLLY to her inside
in fifth. The rest of the field remains bunched, with the
trailers no more than eight lengths off the pace.

Midway on the far turn, TUDOR MINSTREL maintains his 1 1/2-length
advantage, but it is MIESQUE who has surged into second, with
LURE a neck back in third. PRETTY POLLY follows MIESQUE along the
rail into fourth, leaving RIDGEWOOD PEARL in fifth to her outside.
ROYAL HEROINE looks for running room in sixth, as does BAHRAM to
her inside in seventh. PETITE ETOILE launches her four-wide bid
in eighth, and BRIGADIER GERARD picks up steam after Joe Mercer
asks him for his run.

At the top of the stretch, TUDOR MINSTREL presses on with a
one-length lead over MIESQUE after zipping six furlongs in 1:09
and seven panels in 1:20 4/5. PRETTY POLLY remains boxed in on
the rail in third, with ROYAL HEROINE, who split horses, a neck
back in fourth. LURE holds down the fifth position after drifting
out slightly, and RIDGEWOOD PEARL continues on gamely to his
outside in sixth. PETITE ETOILE is beginning to flatten out
behind RIDGEWOOD PEARL while BAHRAM and DA HOSS remain bottled up
behind a wall of horses. BRIGADIER GERARD is moving fastest of
all on the far outside with four lengths to make up on the leader.

With a sixteenth of a mile to go, MIESQUE weakens slightly,
leaving room for the great PRETTY POLLY to charge after TUDOR
MINSTREL, whose lead is down to a precarious half-length. ROYAL
HEROINE, LURE and RIDGEWOOD PEARL are unable to gain ground on
the leaders, but BRIGADIER GERARD is closing with every stride
and now trails by 1 1/2 lengths. As they approach the wire,
PRETTY POLLY edges past a desperate TUDOR MINSTREL, but BRIGADIER
GERARD is flying and puts a head in front on the line. Time for
the race is 1:32 4/5, eclipsing the old Churchill mark by four-fifths
of a second.

Following is the complete order of finish: