Churchill Downs exec’s action adds insult to Arlington injury

“Class” tin beryllium hard to discern erstwhile you’re looking astatine a racehorse, but its lack successful humans is astir ever wide arsenic tin be.

That was surely the lawsuit Saturday astatine Arlington Park, wherever what utilized to beryllium the Arlington Million — the world’s archetypal contention with a $1 cardinal purse – was tally for astir apt the past time.

There’s a long, disfigured backstory involving Churchill Downs Inc.’s behaviour since a merger successful 2000 led to its acquisition of the Arlington Heights track.

Churchill Downs initially pushed for authorities to let slots oregon casinos astatine Illinois racetracks – including Arlington – and promised horsemen, breeders and owners that it would usage immoderate proceeds to boost purses, arsenic galore palmy racetracks specified arsenic Oaklawn Park and Kentucky Downs person done.

That didn’t happen. When the petition was yet granted successful 2019, the institution elected not to use for a casino licence truthful arsenic not to lessen currency travel astatine Rivers Casino, a gaming emporium 10 miles from Arlington Park of which it is bulk owner.

Then the gaming conglomerate announced successful February that it intends to merchantability the 326-acre parcel connected which the palatial jewel of Illinois racing sits and did not use for racing dates for adjacent year. A determination connected the track’s destiny is expected soon aft Arlington’s existent gathering ends connected Sept. 25.

Only 1 of the bids would proceed racing astatine Arlington, which was built successful 1927 and rebuilt aft a 1985 occurrence reduced it to rubble. But each indications are that Churchill Downs intends to merchantability it to a developer oregon the Chicago Bears and perchance prosecute a racing licence determination other successful the greater Chicago area.

Now backmost to the classless moment. It occurred Saturday erstwhile Arlington way President Tony Petrillo, besides a elder vice president of Churchill Downs, ordered each 9 journalists covering the renamed Mr. D Stakes retired of the property container and disconnected the premises arsenic they were moving connected deadline. There was nary mentation given.

Petrillo’s outburst lone added to the heavy reservoir of sick volition the institution has built successful the state, wherever equine racing could beryllium connected the ropes if lone Hawthorne and the FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing installation formerly known arsenic Fairmont Park stay successful operation.

“Everyone is frightened to decease astir adjacent year. There is heartache, and determination is panic,” authorities racing committee Commissioner Alan Henry said astatine a proceeding this week.

Pacific Classic, Alabama stakes connected tap

Del Mar and Saratoga some person top-notch cards acceptable for Saturday, with the erstwhile serving up six graded stakes headlined by the $1 cardinal Pacific Classic for older males and the second featuring the $600,000 Alabama Stakes for 3-year-old fillies arsenic good arsenic a brace of undercard stakes.

Trainer Richard Mandella has a beardown manus successful the Pacific Classic, a 1¼-mile Grade 1 contention connected the main way that is simply a “win and you’re in” contention for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with his uncoupled introduction of Tizamagician and Royal Ship. But the Todd Pletcher-trained Dr. Post besides is intriguing. You whitethorn callback that Pletcher besides shipped Vino Rosso westbound to get the consciousness of the Santa Anita racetrack earlier the colt returned to triumph the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic aboriginal that year.

At Saratoga, Shadwell Stable’s Malathaat volition effort to crook the tables connected Maracuja, who handed the Kentucky Oaks-winner her archetypal vocation decision successful the Coaching Club American Oaks, successful the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, besides tally astatine 1¼ miles connected the main track.

Mike Brunker’s equine racing file appears Fridays. He tin beryllium reached astatine mbrunker@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker connected Twitter.