Claire Marine Scores Wire-to-Wire Win at Arlington

Claire Marine, the Irish-bred filly who might have been a factor had she been entered in today’s Arlington Million, settled for a wire-to-wire victory in the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington International Saturday.

Allowed to establish a slow early pace on a grass course listed as yielding, Claire Marine shrugged off a few challengers through the stretch to earn $300,000 for her owners, Chicagoan Sidney Port and Charlie Whittingham, who also trains the 4-year-old filly.

Claire Marine, timed in 2:01 4/5 for the 1 3/16 miles, paid $4, $2.80 and $2.60 as the favorite under Chris McCarron.

Capades, 1 3/4 lengths back, paid $4.40 and $3.40 and Gaily Gaily returned $3.60. Next was Ravinella, followed by Key Flyer, Nastique, Here’s Your Silver and Baba Cool.

Claire Marine’s win was her sixth in nine American starts, the other victories coming at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar.

On Saturday, she carried 123 pounds, the same as all the other starters except Capades and Key Flyer, who carried 117 apiece.

Whittingham considered starting Claire Marine in the Million, but already had Nasr el Arab and Frankly Perfect entered to run today.

Port owns 75% of Claire Marine, who had one victory and four seconds from six starts in France before the Americans bought her a year ago.

“I had mixed emotions about which race she would run in,” said McCarron, winner of the 1984 Million with John Henry but without a mount in the race today. “In this race, I knew she had these mares over a barrel, but she would have been very tough Sunday, too.”

No matter what happens in the Million, Whittingham will return to California happy. Oczy Czarnie, the 3-year-old French filly who won Friday’s Pucker Up Stakes, has been turned over to the trainer, and he also will take over River Warden after the 3-year-old French colt runs in the Million.