Godolphin’s homebred Nations Pride produced a valiant run in the stretch to triumph in the 2024 Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs. Adding to Santin’s score in 2022 and Sulamani’s in 2003, Godolphin now boasts three Arlington Million victories.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and piloted by William Buick, Nations Pride covered the 1¼-miles distance over firm turf in 2:01.96.
“Look (Nations Pride) was the best horse in the race and we knew that,” winning jockey William Buick said. “Actually, at Saratoga last Friday I got to ride him for a breeze on the Oklahoma track so I knew he was coming here in great form and he really impressed me. He’s an exciting horse and he’s won four grade ones now. The leader was getting a lot of rope and he was getting it cheaped, so I just wanted to have everything covered as well as I could.
“It’s a beautiful turf course,” Buick added. “This track is world class. The ground is beautiful. It’s a very fair track from what I could gather. Obviously, there are some very big races here now.”
Sugoi stole away for the easy lead, traveling through opening fractions in :24.12 and :50.03 while gaining a three-length lead over Talk of a Nation who had Nations Pride moving well to his outside. After three-quarters Sugoi was seven lengths in front and looked like an upset threat. Nations Pride began to advance in the far turn, took his run to new leader Talk of the Nation in the early stretch, and battled with that foe to wrestle away the lead with a furlong to go. Integration kicked well behind him, but Nations Pride could not be caught and crossed the finish line 1¾ lengths in front.
Ancient Rome rallied late up the rail to beat out Talk of the Nation for third.
With graded stakes wins in five different countries, Nations Pride’s lifetime record stands at 10-3-2 from 18 starts with an impressive $3,445,554 in earnings.
Photos of Coady Media.
