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Letters to the Editor: Jeff Thornbury On Arlington, James Graham

A little over 20 years ago, a young man from Ireland approached me about his wish to become a jockey in the United States. His name was James Graham. James impressed me so much with his dedication and work ethic that he soon was living at my home and galloping for me every day. His sweetheart, Lisa, joined him, they married, and Lisa became my treasured assistant trainer for a time. James showed tenacity and great athletic ability and became an apprentice rider.

He has always been the same every day; always sober, punctual, full of energy, and always full of fun. He has ridden for me and many others in a great career; racing in Kentucky, New Orleans, and Illinois. Arlington Park has always been a special place for him. I have watched him win (and lose) there over the years. I have enjoyed his antics and the rapport he has with the scores of kids that surround the winner's circle. He never fails to hand out as many goggles as he can while high-fiving with the crowd.

This past Saturday, Arlington ran its final “Million” weekend of races. The “Million” was reduced in purse size, but paid tribute to one of the finest men I have ever known in racing, Mr. Richard Duchossois. Those of us who have raced over the years at Arlington are heartbroken to see it parceled off, and this year any hope of saving it has evaporated. I first saw Arlington Park as a young kid while accompanying my father's partner, Dr. Robert Copelan, as he practiced there. I have always been in awe of its expanse and natural beauty, and the new grandstand is still one of the loveliest in the world. I have truly loved racing at Arlington.

The newly named “Mr. D Stakes” brought everything full circle for me. I watched my man James Graham take Two Emmys to the front, set a pedestrian pace down the backside, and sprint for home after they made the final turn to win this final Grade I stakes in typically cheeky fashion. This was the bright spot of the day for me and for many others, saddened to see racing end at this beautiful, heroic track. I was laughing at James's brilliant accomplishment, while crying at the same time, knowing that Arlington's time had come. Hats off to Mr. D., and hats off to James Graham for leaving us with a sweet taste we'll never forget.

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Two Emmys Too Good For Domestic Spending In Mr. D At Arlington

In a day filled with laments for the last of Arlington's biggest race cards, the race formerly known as the Arlington Million, renamed the Mr. D. in honor of former track owner Richard Duchossois, saw a surprise ending for the day's slate of graded stakes, with longshot Two Emmys going wire to wire in the Grade 1 turf stakes.

Two Emmys, a gelding by English Channel, comes into the Mr. D. with wins at the allowance and claiming levels, his best graded stakes showing a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., and the Grade 3 Arlington Stakes at Arlington last month. In the Mr. D., Two Emmys, with jockey James Graham grabbed the lead early, with Bizzee Channel and Strong Tide behind him. Chad Brown trainee Domestic Spending, the race's favorite, lingered in fourth, with Flavien Prat aboard. Controlling the pace throughout the first half of the race, Two Emmys still held on to a one-length lead six furlongs in after setting fractions of :26.12 for the first quarter, :52.43 for the first half, and 1:16.64 for the three-quarters.

Into the final turn, Bizzee Channel challenged Two Emmys, with Prat on Domestic Spending gearing up for a move in the stretch. Bizzee Channel could not stay with the leader, falling back as Prat and Domestic Spending started their closing kick. Two Emmys had plenty left in reserve, holding off the closing Brown trainee to win by a half-length. Glynn County was third, with Space Traveller in fourth. Bizzee Channel, Armory, Zulu Alpha, and Strong Tide rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/4-mile Mr. D. Stakes was 2:03.34. Find this race's chart here.

Two Emmys paid $56.20, $9.80, and $5.80. Domestic Spending paid $2.40 and $2.10. Glynn County paid $8.00.

Bred in Kentucky by Tottenwood Thoroughbreds, Inc., Two Emmys is by English Channel, out of the Buddha mare Miss Emmy. Co-owned and trained by Hugh Robertson, the 5-year-old gelding is also owned by Wolfe Racing. Consigned by Vinery Thoroughbreds, Two Emmys was sold for $4,500 to Hugh Robertson and Wolfe Racing at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his win in the Mr. D. Stakes, Two Emmys has two wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 4-7-0 in 16 starts and $545,708 in career earnings.

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Amoss Hopes Sermononthemount Will ‘Really Show What He Can Do’ In Ellis Park Derby

Trainer Tom Amoss finds a different scenario facing Sermononthemount in running Emil Cerullo's 3-year-old colt in Sunday's $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby than what awaited him in last month's Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand.

The Grade 3 Indiana Derby had a heavy favorite in Churchill Downs' Matt Winn winner Fulsome. But the time-honored racing tenet is that you don't run away from one horse. Indeed, Sermononthemount finished second at 18-1 as Mr. Wireless rolled to victory in the 1 1/16-mile stakes. Fulsome finished a non-threatening third.

The 1 1/8-mile Ellis Park Derby would not appear to have a prohibitive favorite in its field of six 3-year-olds. While Super Stock won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, he also finished fourth in the Texas Derby and Iowa Derby following a 16th in the Kentucky Derby. Also entered: Indiana Derby fourth-place finisher Starrininmydreams, Ellis Park allowance winner Colonel Bowman, allowance runner-up (by a nose) There Goes Harvard and Ellis maiden-winner Hanks.

The Ellis Park Derby is part of a five-stakes Sunday card that also features the $125,000 RUNHAPPY Groupie Doll for fillies and mares, $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Juvenile, $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Debutante and $100,000 Audubon Oaks.

“He's a horse that wants some pace up front and be allowed to finish. And we really didn't get that in the Indiana Derby,” Amoss said. “He's also a horse, in my opinion, that would rather come around than go inside. He kind of likes to have one of those trips where he's not crowded in any shape or form, and he didn't get that either. But he still ran well. The Ellis Park Derby is a logical race for us because No. 1, it's right there. It's very attractive purse-wise, and I like the distance.”

The Indiana Derby “was a race on paper that I thought was worth rolling the dice,” he said. “I think that's kind of what's happening again… I see a field in the Ellis Park Derby with a lot of horses that are up and coming and improving, but certainly no horse in there that would scare another one out.”

James Graham has the return mount on Sermononthemount. Graham turned out to be prescient when he said this before the Indiana Derby: “He tries his butt off every time, so you have to take a little bit of a shot — and he's doing good. What if Fulsome has a bad day? And hopefully we have a good day. Give it a shot and see what happens.”

Mr. Wireless validated his Indiana Derby victory by taking last Saturday's Grade 3 West Virginia Derby.

“He showed he is legit by the results of the West Virginia Derby,” Amoss said. “So that's nice, too.”

Sermononthemount didn't run well on turf when claimed for $50,000 at the Fair Grounds in March. Two races later, Amoss put him in for a $30,000 claiming race as a confidence-builder, and off that win began tackling stakes company. The result was third in the Prairie Mile and then the Indiana second.

“The Ellis Park Derby will give him a chance to really show what he can do at more distance,” Amoss said. “He's an improving young horse.”

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Red Knight Headlines Turf Marathoners In Saturday’s Elkhorn

Trinity Farm's homebred Red Knight, winner of last fall's Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland, headlines a field of 10 turf marathoners entered Wednesday for Saturday's 36th running of the $200,000 Elkhorn (G2) going 1½ miles on the grass.

The Elkhorn will go as the ninth race on Saturday afternoon's 10-race program with a 5:30 p.m. post time. First post Saturday is 1:05 p.m.

Trained by Bill Mott, who is seeking his third Elkhorn victory, Red Knight will be making his 2021 debut Saturday after closing 2020 with a narrow loss to Elkhorn rival North Dakota in the Red Smith (G3) at Aqueduct. Red Knight finished second in the 2019 Elkhorn in his only other Keeneland start.

James Graham, who was aboard for the Sycamore victory, will have the mount Saturday and break from post 10.

Joseph Allen's North Dakota, fourth to Red Knight in last year's Sycamore, will be making his first start since finishing 10th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) in January in which he was beaten only 4¼ lengths.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, North Dakota will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post seven. McGaughey has three wins in the stakes, including 1994 with Hall of Famer Lure when the race was 1 1/8 miles.

The field for the Elkhorn, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Cross Border (Tyler Gaffalione, 120 pounds), Say the Word (Luis Saez, 123), Crafty Daddy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Epic Bromance (Chris Landeros, 118), Monarchs Glen (GB) (Joel Rosario, 118), Tide of the Sea (Gerardo Corrales, 118), North Dakota (Velazquez, 118), Fantasioso (ARG) (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Channel Cat (Corey Lanerie, 118) and Red Knight (Graham, 118).

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