Monday, Aug. 18, 2003 | 8:55 a.m.
Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.
While filming the movie "Seabiscuit," jockey Gary Stevens would keep the interest in his day job by scooting off to the racetrack when his schedule permitted. After all, Stevens knew he would return to the saddle full time after shooting the flick.
As Stevens perused the stable area, keeping his race-riding business kindling, fellow horsemen would kid Stevens by asking him how many winners he had while riding in the movie. "Won every race," Stevens would quip.
Take two.
Stevens may have wished he was back in the safe confines of moviemaking on Saturday even though his performance was an Oscar-winner for all but a few yards of the Arlington Million at Arlington Park.
The 21st Arlington Million assembled an international field of turf runners for the 1 1/4-mile summer grass classic in Chicago. Heading the European contingent was Sulamani. Stevens scaled the American favorite Storming Home, who did just that.
Storming Home appeared to be a clear-cut winner of the Million when all of a sudden, and without warning, he swerved outward -- to the point of bolting right -- while Stevens reached for balance to stay aboard, grabbing whatever the mane, thin reins and small saddle could provide.
This Million was unfortunately not one of those runaway editions. Storming Home had led an equine wall of hot pursuers. Stretched across the wide expansive Arlington turf course was a cavalry charge of runners who thought they were fighting for the balance of the rich purse. Among them were the German Paolini, the long shot Kaieteur and Sulamani.
A thrilling spectacular renewal turned into a terrifying free-for-all.
As Storming Home lunged in the shadow of the finish line, Stevens could do nothing but hope and pray. He gallantly held onto his betraying partner for as long as he could, then hit the ground while flying hoofs, and thousand-pound horses going full bore trampled around his body and head. A fatal fate escaped by inches. Paolini and Kaieteur were pulled up sharply while Sulamani continued to close frantically from the outside almost unscathed by the incident. As the field scattered under the finish line, Stevens lay prone for what seemed to be an eternity.
While the crowd stood silent and stunned, the outcome of a race with so much money and prestige was still at stake. The Arlington stewards, who are the adjudicating body at the track, went to work in an effort to see, first if Stevens stayed aboard through the finish, and, second to determine whether the drastic change of course by Storming Home impeded any of the following runners.
The numbers on the infield tote board flashed, as the unofficial order of finish revealed Storming Home first, Sulamani second and a third-place dead heat between Paolini and Kaieteur.
As a conscious but shaken Stevens was taken to nearby Northwest Community Hospital, he was aware enough to ask if he had won the race. He did not.
Citing interference to Kaieteur, the stewards disqualified Storming Home and placed him fourth. Sulamani became the recipient of the new order of finish while Paolini and Kaieteur pushed their dead-heat finish to second. The hometown crowd was not happy. Boos rang from the trackside apron as the replay told the tale.
The most controversial Arlington Million was now history. As the second choice, Sulamani paid $7.60 and gave his international ownership of Godolphin Racing, Inc., their 100th victory in either a Group I or Grade I race.
Stevens had X-rays taken of his left shoulder, which it is believed was stepped on by a trailing horse. On Sunday, at Del Mar, track president Joseph Harper gave an update on Stevens condition via his agent in a TVG cable television interview. He said that Stevens was "still very sore, his shoulder, and has a collapsed lung." He indicated that Stevens hoped to leave the Chicago area hospital on Wednesday for return to his Southern California home. Stevens is scheduled to ride Candy Ride in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sunday.
Trainer Neil Drysdale said his trainee Storming Home is fine, but, couldn't comment on what happened because he was immediately concerned about Stevens and didn't see any replays of the race. Speculating on the reason for his horse's behavior, Drysdale said, "It looked like he (Storming Home) ducked out from something, but, as for why -- who's to know?"
That remains the million-dollar question.
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