Beau Genius Mounts Late Surge to Win Lackluster Challenge Cup

Beau Genius and Triteamtri ran virtually as a pair for most of the 1 1/4 miles before favored Beau Genius won the Arlington Challenge Cup by one length Saturday.

The glamour of the race was lost because of career-ending injuries to Sunday Silence, the 1989 Horse of the Year, and his Triple Crown rival, Easy Goer.

The idea behind the inaugural Challenge Cup was to renew the rivalry between Sunday Silence and Easy Goer, but both suffered injuries while preparing for the race.

With Sunday Silence and Easy Goer out, Criminal Type, who beat both of them this year, was held out in favor of the Whitney, which he won Saturday at Saratoga.

Beau Genius was timed in 2:02 1/5 and paid $4.80, $3.80 and $2.80. Triteamtri paid $14.20 and $5.40 and Western Playboy returned $2.80.

Also at Arlington, Southland-based Real Cash beat five other 3-year-olds in the American Derby. Real Cash, ridden by Pat Valenzuela, covered the 1 1/4 miles on a good track in 2:02 in beating Home At Last by one length.

Real Cash, who took the lead from pace-setting Adjudicating entering the homestretch, returned $11.40, $5.60 and $3.20. Home At Last paid $4 and $2.60 and Adjudicating returned $2.40.