Fort Washington fires last-to-first salvo in Arlington Million

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey was widely expected to win his first Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs on Saturday, but his 3-5 favorite Integration wasn’t the one to hand him the trophy. Instead, his 5.70-1 stablemate Fort Washington did the honors with a last-to-first salvo. 

Integration, last year’s Million runner-up, remained a Grade 1 bridesmaid by fading late to third behind Fort Washington and Grand Sonata. Mystik Dan, the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) upsetter, was outkicked in fourth in his turf debut. 

Magic Cap Stables’ Fort Washington, a six-year-old veteran with 27 starts going into the Million, looked much more exposed than Integration. But the blueblood son of War Front entered in perhaps the most consistently high-level form of his life. 

A rallying fifth in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) in his only prior Grade 1 attempt, Fort Washington scored back-to-back in the Canadian Turf (G3) and Dinner Party (G3) on Preakness Day. The dark bay was coming off a dead-heat fourth in the Wise Dan (G2) at Churchill Downs, where the pace scenario was against him on the cutback to 1 1/16 miles.

If the tempo wasn’t especially fast on Saturday, it did cater to Fort Washington’s late kick in a 1 1/4-mile context. His turn of foot was sharper than that of Grand Sonata, who typically needs upwards of 1 3/8 miles. 

Indeed, Grand Sonata was cross-entered to Saturday’s Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga, a 1 1/2-mile “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Hall of Fame horseman Todd Pletcher reportedly opted for the Million because the Sword Dancer came up deeper, with its field including 2024 Million star Nations Pride. 

In the absence of Nations Pride, Integration ranked as the one to beat. The odds-on favorite was well placed about midpack as front-running longshot Time Song rattled off fractions of :23.94, :48.36, and 1:12.25 on the firm turf. 

Mystik Dan took up a forward spot and briefly raised his fans’ hopes when accosting Time Song at the top of the stretch. But he didn’t have the pace to stay in the hunt as the turf closers swarmed around him. 

Although Integration loomed on the outside, Grand Sonata unleashed an even stronger bid on the rail. The 12.90-1 chance was on the verge of an upset when the “other McGaughey” arrived on the scene.

Delivered late in an impeccably-timed move by Junior Alvarado, Fort Washington passed them all to win going away by a half-length in 1:59.58. Grand Sonata crossed the wire with three-quarters of a length to spare over a one-paced Integration.

Another 2 1/4 lengths astern in fourth came Mystik Dan. Cairo, the lone European shipper, failed to land a blow in fifth. Time Song retreated to sixth, and Runaway Storm was tailed off. Vesting was withdrawn. 

Fort Washington, who returned $13.40, became a millionaire with $1,352,182 in earnings from a mark of 28-7-3-8. A marginal stakes player for original owner/breeders Joseph Allen and Peter Brant, he placed in the 2022 Columbia S. at Tampa Bay Downs and Woodhaven S. at Aqueduct before landing the Tale of the Cat S. at Monmouth Park. But he could manage no better than third in the Tropical Park Derby, Canadian Turf (G3), and Appleton S. at Gulfstream Park that winter.

Sold for $260,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Horses of Racing Age Sale, Fort Washington stayed with McGaughey and began to fulfill his potential with maturity. He finally achieved a graded stakes win in the 2024 Monmouth (G3), albeit in a dead-heat. After reverting to placings in the Bernard Baruch S. and Artie Schiller S., he missed by only a neck in the Ft. Lauderdale (G2). That portended reaching a higher level this term.  

Kentucky-bred Fort Washington was produced by the French Group 3-placed Azaelia, a Turtle Bowl mare who descends from the all-time great Allez France.