Godolphin's homebred Santin engaged front-running Smooth Like Straight at the top of the stretch, easily dispatched the rival, and drew clear to capture $1-million Arlington Million (G1) Saturday at Churchill Downs.
The race, first run in 1981 at Arlington Park, was staged at the Louisville track for the first time after Churchill Downs' Chicago-area track closed in 2021. Saturday's Million Day card included the Beverly D. (G1), won by Dalika, who earned an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in November at Keeneland.
Santin won the Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby day over the same course and distance as the Million, but following that was a troubled sixth when jockey Tyler Gaffalione dropped his crop in deep stretch in the Manhattan (G1) June 11 at Belmont Park last time out. He had clear sailing in the long Churchill stretch with Gaffalione Saturday, shaking off Smooth Like Strait en route to winning by 1 3/4 lengths and finishing the Million's 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.88 on turf rated as good.
Smooth Like Strait held on for second, and Sacred Life finished third. Favorite Set Piece checked in fourth in the eight-horse field.
A 4-year-old Distorted Humor colt out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Sentiero Italia, Kentucky-bred Santin improved his career line to 4-2-0 from eight starts, which includes runner-up finishes in the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) in March at Fair Grounds and last fall's Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar, for trainer Brendan Walsh.
Santin returned $6.90.
This story will be updated.
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