Arlington Barn Notes: Thursday, June 12, 2019

By Grant LaGrange —-

Cammack gets win number fourteen

• Brittany Vanden Berg saddles first career winner
• Former Chicago DRF writer and editor dies at 83

CAMMACK GETS WIN NUMBER FOURTEEN

Team Block’s nine-year-old Illinois bred Cammack got the fourteenth win of his career in the fifth race Saturday June 8 going 1 1/16th-miles over a Good turf course.

Owned by Team Block and trained by Chris Block, Cammack broke his maiden at first asking back in 2013. After one other victory later that year, it would be three years before he would find the Arlington winners circle again. He made his return to Arlington in May of 2016 kicking off a five-race win streak, which included a win in the 2016 Black Tie Affair Handicap.

“He started off okay early on,” Block said. “We had high hopes for him early and he did okay, but he really got consistent and came into himself as he got older,” he said. “Even now at nine, he’s still got it.”

Cammack has always been a special horse to trainer Chris Block who trained his half-brother Fort Prado. Fort Prado not only won the Black Tie Affair four times (2005-07, 2009) but was also Illinois Horse of the Year in 2006 as well as a leading sire in the state for many years.

“Cammack has always been special to us not only for what he’s accomplished on the racetrack but also because he’s the half to Fort Prado,” said Block “Fort Prado was a champion and very successful in all aspects so to have Cammack still here in my barn makes it pretty special,” he said.

Cammack is also a special horse in the Block barn due to his name. Cammack was named after Addison Cammack who was highly respected by all of Illinois horsemen and served as the shipping agent at Arlington for 30 years.

“Addison Cammack was a dear friend of mine,” Block said. “Before I was even a trainer everyone around here knew him and loved him. He became a friend of my family and my team. When he passed away from lung cancer, we decided to name this horse after him,” he said.

Now at nine-years-old the son of Giant’s Causeway is still showing no signs of slowing down. Since returning to Arlington for the 2019 meet, Cammack has a win and a second place finish so far.

“Every year he acts younger than he actually is,” said Block. “It’s really nothing that we’ve done. He knows what he’s doing in the mornings. He’ll go out there and train himself so it’s really a testament to him and how he has handled himself throughout his career,” he said.

“We’ll keep him in Allowance Optional claimers here hoping that they keep filling,” explained Block. “He’s still a sharp and competitive horse and we haven’t seen any signs of him slowing down.”

Cammack has earned over $470,000 in his 41 career starts so far. His lifetime record is 41-14-5-5 and he is a multiple time stakes winner. His last three victories have been over the turf course, which he is expected to stay on this Arlington meet and inch his way closer to the half-million dollar career lifetime earnings mark.

BRITTANY VANDEN BERG SADDLES FIRST CAREER WINNER

Brittany Vanden Berg scored her first victory as a trainer on Sunday June 9 at Arlington when her five-year-old Trappe Valley won the second race on the Sunday card.

Vanden Berg was a jockey for 7 years before hanging up her tack to become a full time trainer. She won her first career race as a jockey in September of 2012 at Thistledown. As a jockey, it took Vanden Berg eighteen tries to get her first win under her belt. As a trainer however, it took her only three attempts.

Vanden Berg who also rode at Arlington was extremely grateful that her first training win came at the Chicago oval,

“It was so important to get it done here.” Vanden Berg said. “I rode here and really this place is special to me. It’s so electric when they turn for home and everyone is always so supportive here” she said. “It was the most unbelievable experience and I wouldn’t have imagined having it anywhere else than here” she explained.

Vandenberg now has one win, one second, and one third from four starters so far in her career as of June 9, 2019.

FORMER CHICAGO DRF WRITER AND EDITOR DIES AT 83

John McEvoy who was a writer and editor for Daily Racing Form covering all of Chicago tracks and all of the Midwest died Monday in a hospital near his home in Evanston Ill.

After covering Chicago and Arlington racing for years, in 1979 the Daily Racing Form promoted McEvoy to Midwest editor.

McEvoy was a mainstay in the Arlington press box, and was known for mentoring young writers seeking a career in the thoroughbred industry.

When the DRF closed its Chicago office in the 90’s, MCevoy became a senior correspondent and was based out of Chicago. He then later went on to become a successful novelist and dabbled in writing poetry.

Neil Milbert, his lifelong friend met McEvoy in the 70’s as he had just began covering horse racing for a Chicago newspaper publication. From that day in the press box on Neil considered John McEvoy to be one of his closest friends,

“He was a student of racing,” Milbert said. “He was a student of writing and was so extremely talented and it showed in everything he wrote. He was a kind and encouraging editor that never demanded something be corrected but rather encouraged the writer and personally offered his advice” Milbert explained. “He was just a great man, and did a lot of great things for a lot of people.”