Arlington International Racecourse Barn Notes: Sunday, June 18

By Bailey Gallison —-

• Arlington Racing Club’s Brisson Gives Blake Shinn First U. S. Win
• One Liz Rewards Breeders’ Regard With Stakes Win

ARLINGTON RACING CLUB’S BRISSON GIVES BLAKE SHINN FIRST U. S. WIN

Australian jockey Blake Shinn, based at Arlington International Racecourse since June 5, picked up his first U.S. win Saturday aboard the Arlington Racing Club’s Brisson. The 29-year-old journeyman rider from Kilmore, Victoria was making his 16th start in America when he got the leg up from Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer Wayne Catalano aboard the 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper. Breaking from post five in the field of eight, Shinn secured a spot on the rail aboard the 3-2 betting favorite and sat seven lengths off the pace in the early running of the one-mile turf race. The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey allowed the filly to move up towards the leaders on the backstretch, angled off the rail through the turn and swung five-wide entering the stretch to the cheer of the Racing Club’s excited owners on the apron. Brisson extended her stride under Shinn’s urging and rolled to the lead, hitting the wire 1½-lengths the winner.

“I got a smooth run throughout the race, she always traveled well,” said Shinn. “She blended into the turn really nicely and showed a great kick. I thank Wayne for the opportunity, and Steve Leving my agent, who is working hard to get me good rides. It’s a great feeling. Thanks to everyone who supported me in the club and back in Australia; it’s a fantastic thrill to get the opportunity to ride a winner here.”

Shinn, a regular rider for Australian Racing Hall of Fame trainer Gai Waterhouse, is currently in the U.S. working for Wesley Ward but has picked up mounts from a variety of horsemen in the Chicagoland area. Trainers from around the country are reaching out to Leving with inquiries, and with a winner under his belt the interest around Blake Shinn is certain to increase.

“The people really embrace it here, it’s a great vibe,” said Shinn. “It’s taken a little bit longer than expected, but it’s a fantastic prize.”

Brisson’s win was also a first for the Arlington Racing Club, a group of 175 members that signed up for the 2017 season. Each member paid $500 entry into the club which was created to introduce racing fans to the ins and outs of racehorse ownership. Club members were able to tour the backstretch and meet their horse in the weeks leading up to the race. A large number of members were able to be there for the win on race day and filled the winner’s circle to its brim for the photo with Brisson and Blake Shinn.

“It was fantastic,” commented Arlington’s Howard Sudberry. “The people have been rooting so hard for a win, and they’ve been through a couple different horses. It was so neat to see [them] starting to cheer when Brisson made her move at the top of the stretch, then it was pretty clear she was going to win so it was like a victory lap at that point. It was a great thrill.”

ONE LIZ REWARDS BREEDERS’ REGARD WITH STAKES WIN

Joseph and Don Cochonour’s homebred filly One Liz proved another stakes winner for the Illinois clan that bred 2016 Mike Spellman Memorial winner Stormin Elle from the same dam, the El Prado (IRE) mare Elle Belle. One Liz, a 6-year-old mare by Kitalpha, was much the best in the Isaac Murphy Handicap at Arlington International Racecourse on June 10 when overtaking the wagering favorite Puntsville in the stretch to win by three lengths under leading rider Jose Valdivia, Jr.

“She came out of the race great,” said Catalano. “She ran two quick ones back to back, so we’ll give her some time before we run her again. We aren’t in a hurry.”

One Liz made her 2017 debut on May 20 at Arlington in a race moved from the turf to the main track at 1 1/16 miles. It was her first start for the Cochonours since 2015 when the mare was privately sold to Frank Calabrese. The Cochonours had the idea they would like to have her as a broodmare down the road, but fastracked getting her back when One Liz was claimed away from Calabrese in May of last year while racing on the turf at Gulfstream Park. Following another barn switch, her breeders were able to claim One Liz back in August of 2016 for $10,000. The mare was given some time off before going back into training with Wayne Catalano, her first conditioner.

“The owners were very happy with the win,” said Catalano. “That was a big one for them.”

The Cochonour family’s first stakes win at Arlington came in 1981, when Don and Joseph’s father Clark Cochonour’s homebred Blue Water Line, owned in partnership with Ron Schiller, won the 1981 W. H. Bishop Handicap (now run as the Black Tie Affair Handicap). The 1991 Springfield Stakes went to the Cochonour’s 3-year-old colt Blue and Blue. In addition to Stormin Elle, the family has bred and raced two other winners of the stakes now known as the Mike Spellman Memorial: Spring Innocence won in 1987 (run as the Anita Peabody Handicap), and Royal Leah took the 2007 edition, then named the Lincoln Heritage Handicap.