It’s a Mixed-Bag Day for Frankel

Bobby Frankel was a .500 hitter in four Grade I races run at Arlington Park and Saratoga on Saturday.

Although the country’s leading trainer would have preferred a sweep, he should be delighted with what he did get. He could have just as easily drawn a blank.

Favored Beat Hollow gave Frankel and Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms their second Arlington Million win in three years with a head victory over archrival Sarafan in a blanket finish, but anybody who watched the Million knows who should have been in the winner’s circle.

Falcon Flight, a 17-1 longshot who had been perfect in two previous starts over the Arlington turf, was blocked badly in deep stretch under jockey Rene Douglas. He finished fast to be fifth, beaten by less than a length. There is little doubt he would have scored the shocker had he gotten through cleanly.

Then, two races later, Chiselling, another Frankel-Juddmonte production, got up in the final strides to edge Jazz Beat by a nose in the $400,000 Secretariat.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the son of Woodman became the latest Grade I winner for the dam Toussaud. A good race horse in her day, Toussaud has produced, among others, Decarchy, Chester House and Honest Lady.

These two victories for Frankel came after his day had gotten off to a rugged start. Tates Creek was last in Arlington’s $700,000 Beverly D. Stakes, which was won by 2-1 second choice Golden Apples, and You finished third behind Farda Amiga and pacesetter Allamerican Bertie in the $750,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.

Victimized by an extremely troubled trip when second to Sarafan in the Eddie Read Handicap three weeks earlier at Del Mar, Beat Hollow couldn’t have asked for a better journey in the Million.

Ridden for the first time by Jerry Bailey, he stalked the slow pace set by Forbidden Apple, who wound up third, a nose behind Sarafan, then prevailed in 2:02 4/5 for the 1 1/4 miles. It was the seventh win in 10 starts for the 5-year-old son of Sadler’s Wells and his third Grade I victory in 2002.

“I didn’t expect to be worse than third [early in the race] and then it was up to Beat Hollow,” Bailey said. “I didn’t want to make the lead too quickly because I knew that it would give Sarafan a shot at us late.”

Afterward, Frankel indicated Beat Hollow will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Mile rather than the Breeders’ Cup Turf, which is a half-mile longer. The Breeders’ Cup will be held for the first time at Arlington Park on Oct. 26. “I think he’ll be super going a mile,” Frankel said.

The Beverly D. winner also responded to a jockey change. Patrick Valenzuela took over on the 4-year-old Pivotal filly, replacing Garrett Gomez, and she earned her biggest victory for owner Gary Tanaka, who was later unlucky with Falcon Flight, and trainer Ben Cecil.

Kept within range of the slow pace set by defending champion England’s Legend, Golden Apples took over into the stretch and went on to beat 13-10 favorite Astra by three-quarters of a length.

*

Making her first start since her 20-1 surprise in the Kentucky Oaks on May 3, Farda Amiga ($8.70) rallied past Allamerican Bertie to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:04 3/5 at Saratoga.

Owned by Simon Marcos, Julian and Santa Camargo and trained by Paulo Lobo, Farda Amiga, a daughter of Broad Brush who had come down with a virus after winning at Churchill Downs, won for the fourth time in seven starts. She was ridden by Pat Day, who replaced the retired Chris McCarron.

“I think this proves she’s the best 3-year-old filly in the country,” said Lobo, who indicated she may not run again until the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Bella Bellucci, who probably would have been favored in the Alabama even though she has yet to win a Grade I, was scratched by trainer Neil Drysdale.

“We were concerned about the track condition,” Drysdale said. “She caught a track similar to this in the Acorn [third at 7-10 on June 7 at Belmont Park] and wound up pulling a muscle behind. We didn’t want to take a chance of that happening again.”

*

Evening Attire, at 7-2, beat pacesetter Abreeze by 1 1/2 lengths to take the $300,000 Saratoga Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

Owned by Joseph and Mary Grant and Tom Kelly and trained by Patrick Kelly, the 4-year-old completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02 4/5 under Shaun Bridgmohan.

*

Frankel added another stakes win when Inesperado ($6.40) beat only three rivals in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar.

Ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye for the 3 Plus U Stable, the 3-year-old French bred won for the second time in as many U.S. starts. He ran the 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:43 4/5. Favored Regiment, who got away with very slow fractions while setting the pace, was second, ahead of stablemate Mountain Rage and Mutinyonthebounty.