Arlington Million : 40-1 Mill Native Sets Track Mark En Route to Win at Woodbine

Mill Native and jockey Cash Asmussen are a winning team on both sides of the Atlantic.

Asmussen rode Mill Native to three straight victories in France this year. On Saturday, Mill Native, a 40-1 shot, roared past Equalize in the stretch to win the Arlington Million at Woodbine in track-record time.

The 4-year-old colt by Exclusive Native won by three-quarters of a length in 2:00 2/5 for the 1 miles on the turf.

The track record for the distance was 2:01 2/5, set by Rocamadour in 1984. The race was moved to Woodbine this year because Arlington Park in Chicago is being rebuilt after a fire in 1985.

Mill Native, owned by Charles Ray of Paris, Ky., returned $83.20, $35.50 and $16.70 and earned $600,000 for his seventh victory in 11 career starts.

“I got tired of chasing him,” Asmussen said of Equalize, who under Jose Santos held a short lead for most of the race. “He’s really improved a lot lately, particularly in his last two races.”

Equalize, sent off at 9-1, finished second by a half-length over 3-1 second-choice Sunshine Forever.

Fourth was Media Starguest, followed by Roi Normand, Most Welcome, Great Communicator, Something True, Anka Germania, Triptych, the 5-2 favorite, Deputy Governor, Yankee Affair, and two Canadian-owned entries--Carotene and Regal Classic.

Equalize, winner of the Grade I United Nations Handicap at Atlantic City, N.J., last month, paid $11.20 and $7.60.

Sunshine Forever, trained by John Veitch and ridden by Jorge Velasquez, returned $4.20.