Unless an eleventh-hour rescue intervenes, August 14 marked the last running of the Arlington Million card at Arlington Park---sort of, as the major races for open company were renamed the Bruce D. Stakes (USA, G1; formerly the Secetariat Stakes) and the Mr. D. Stakes (USA-G1; formerly the Million). Although the purse for the latter was cut to US$600,000 from US$1,000,000, it was still enough to draw a raider from the powerful European stable of Aidan O'Brien, Armory, who was seeking his first top-level win after winning four Group stakes and placing second or third in six Group 1 events. It also drew three-time Grade 1 winner Domestic Spending from Chad Brown's barn, setting up a trans-Atlantic confrontation. Only it didn't quite work out that way, because James Graham committed grand theft on the front end, slowing down the pace with Two Emmys. By the time anyone realized that the pace was crawling and the front-runner wasn't coming back, Two Emmys had left everyone else with too much to do and outlasted Domestic Spending to win by a neck.
The win was the first in a stakes for Two Emmys, who previously had two graded placings to his credit, but his pedigree is that of a horse that could have come up with a major turf score at any time. A son of turf champion and proven turf sire English Channel, he is from the rich Darby Dan family of Golden Trail, one of the notable American matriarchs of the second half of the 20th century.
On the surface, Golden Trail's broodmare career was quite good but not earth-shattering. Of her 17 foals, 12 were winners, including 1969 Dwyer Handicap winner Gleaming Light, 1973 Comely Stakes (USA-G3) winner Java Moon (whose descendants include multiple Grade 1 winners Memories of Silver and Winter Memories), and Grade 1-placed stakes winner Sylvan Place. She also produced four stakes-placed runners, but the greatest treasure she left behind her proved to be her six stakes-producing daughters. Through them, Golden Trail is the second dam of eight stakes winners including 1988 American champion turf male Sunshine Forever and Grade 1 winners Andover Way and Brian's Time (an important sire in Japan). In further removes, Golden Trail is the ancestress of the important stamina sire Dynaformer, 2001 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Monarchos, European and American champion Ryafan, and South American Group 1 winners Bonny and Clyde, Ocean Crest, New Real Deal, and Energia Davos.
Sired by Roberto, Sunshine Forever is out of Golden Trail's stakes-placed daughter Outward Sunshine, who is the source of the family branch leading to Two Emmys. The gelding is a grandson of Sunshine Forever's unraced full sister Our Dear Sue, who is also the dam of the Grade 1-placed multiple stakes winner Don't Read My Lips (by Turkoman) and the second dam of 2014 Travers Stakes (USA-G1) winner V. E. Day (also by English Channel) and Grade 3 winners Hotstufanthensome and Silver Charades.
Through other daughters, Outward Sunshine is the second dam of Grade 3 winner Aavelord, the third dam of Argentine Group 3 winners Harry Potter and Hunky, and the fourth dam of 2005 Gran Premio Dos Mil Guineas (ARG-G1) winner Norton, so while this branch of Golden Trail's family has not been as prolific as some others, it has nonetheless compiled an honorable record. As for Two Emmys, while his win in the Mr. D. Stakes will probably be regarded as fluky until proven otherwise, he and Graham put on a good show to finish out the history of Arlington Park, closing a chapter in American racing history.
The win was the first in a stakes for Two Emmys, who previously had two graded placings to his credit, but his pedigree is that of a horse that could have come up with a major turf score at any time. A son of turf champion and proven turf sire English Channel, he is from the rich Darby Dan family of Golden Trail, one of the notable American matriarchs of the second half of the 20th century.
On the surface, Golden Trail's broodmare career was quite good but not earth-shattering. Of her 17 foals, 12 were winners, including 1969 Dwyer Handicap winner Gleaming Light, 1973 Comely Stakes (USA-G3) winner Java Moon (whose descendants include multiple Grade 1 winners Memories of Silver and Winter Memories), and Grade 1-placed stakes winner Sylvan Place. She also produced four stakes-placed runners, but the greatest treasure she left behind her proved to be her six stakes-producing daughters. Through them, Golden Trail is the second dam of eight stakes winners including 1988 American champion turf male Sunshine Forever and Grade 1 winners Andover Way and Brian's Time (an important sire in Japan). In further removes, Golden Trail is the ancestress of the important stamina sire Dynaformer, 2001 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Monarchos, European and American champion Ryafan, and South American Group 1 winners Bonny and Clyde, Ocean Crest, New Real Deal, and Energia Davos.
Sired by Roberto, Sunshine Forever is out of Golden Trail's stakes-placed daughter Outward Sunshine, who is the source of the family branch leading to Two Emmys. The gelding is a grandson of Sunshine Forever's unraced full sister Our Dear Sue, who is also the dam of the Grade 1-placed multiple stakes winner Don't Read My Lips (by Turkoman) and the second dam of 2014 Travers Stakes (USA-G1) winner V. E. Day (also by English Channel) and Grade 3 winners Hotstufanthensome and Silver Charades.
Through other daughters, Outward Sunshine is the second dam of Grade 3 winner Aavelord, the third dam of Argentine Group 3 winners Harry Potter and Hunky, and the fourth dam of 2005 Gran Premio Dos Mil Guineas (ARG-G1) winner Norton, so while this branch of Golden Trail's family has not been as prolific as some others, it has nonetheless compiled an honorable record. As for Two Emmys, while his win in the Mr. D. Stakes will probably be regarded as fluky until proven otherwise, he and Graham put on a good show to finish out the history of Arlington Park, closing a chapter in American racing history.
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