Powerscourt Dominates, and This Time Gets Win

For the second year in a row, Powerscourt left no doubt who the best horse was in the Arlington Million.

This time, the stewards didn’t get involved. Disqualified out of a win in the Grade I on a controversial decision in 2004, Powerscourt, a 5-year-old son of Sadler’s Wells, was dominant against his nine rivals.

Owned by Mrs. John Magnier and trained by Aidan O’Brien, Powerscourt had one victory in 12 starts since the beginning of 2004, but he relished the yielding turf course in Illinois and also appreciated a jockey upgrade to Kieren Fallon. In last year’s Million, the English-bred was ridden by Jamie Spencer, who also gave the horse a bad ride when third more than two months later in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Lone Star Park in Texas.

Kitten’s Joy, the 9-10 favorite and reigning male turf champion, was second Saturday, edging 12-1 shot and California invader Fourty Niners Son. Better Talk Now, the upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf last fall, was fourth.

“This horse was unlucky to have his number taken down last year,” Fallon said. “He was an impressive winner. [O’Brien] had him at his peak today.”

In winning by three lengths, Powerscourt, who added blinkers on Saturday after a two-race absence, completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.35 and pushed his earnings past $1.9 million.

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Earlier at Arlington, Angara, a 6-1 shot, rallied between horses late for a neck victory in the $750,000 Beverly D.

It was the second graded stakes victory for trainer Patrick Biancone in less than 30 minutes. Earlier at Saratoga, Pomeroy, a 4-year-old Boundary colt he trains for owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, easily won the $200,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap.

Ridden by Gary Stevens for owner Martin Schwartz, Angara, a 4-year-old Alzao filly, won for the fifth time in 12 starts, outfinishing the Bobby Frankel-trained duo of Megahertz and favored Melhor Ainda. The final time for the 1 3/16 miles in the Grade I was 1:58 1/5 .

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In the last of three Grade I races at Arlington, Gun Salute, a 6-1 shot, upset favored English Channel to win the $400,000 Secretariat.

Cornelio Velasquez rode the 3-year-old Military colt, and in winning for the fifth time in nine starts, English channel ran the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.79. The loss ended a four-race win streak for English Channel.

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King’s Drama, the 2-1 favorite, led most of the way under jockey Jorge Chavez and went on to beat 5-2 second choice Relaxed Gesture by three-quarters of a length in the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes at Saratoga.

Trained by Frankel for owner Gary Tanaka, King’s Drama, a 5-year-old gelded son of King’s Theatre, ran the 1 1/2 miles in the Grade I over a turf course labeled good in 2:27.38.

“I’m very happy,” said Chavez, who has been struggling at Saratoga and didn’t get his first winner of the meet until Friday. “I really wanted to wait until the last 100 yards to ask him and that’s what I did. I want to thank Bobby and Mr. Tanaka for giving me a shot. It was a wonderful day for me.”

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Willow O Wisp, the 7-5 favorite, made it three wins in four starts in California with a victory over pacesetter Juliesugardaddy and five others in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar.

Making his first appearance since beating Osidy in the Cinema Breeders’ Cup Handicap on June 26 at Hollywood Park, Willow O Wisp, a 3-year-old Misnomer gelding, prevailed in 1:41.45 for the 1 1/16 miles on turf with Garrett Gomez aboard.

El Roblar, the 8-5 second choice, had to settle for third. It was the first loss in four races for the War Chant colt.