Cannon Hill out of luck in American Derby Cannon Hill, for Dermot Weld & Pat Smullen, failed in his bid to land the Grade 2, American Derby (the second leg of the Mid America Triple) at Arlington Park Racecourse on the outskirts of Chicago this evening. The son of Holy Roman Emperor raced in second early on but when the pace was injected four furlongs from home Smullen had to get serious on the 3yo. He responded to pressure for a furlong or so but then found it all too much, dropping away up the straight to finish a well beaten eighth of ten. Weld was bidding for his fourth win in the race having claimed the prize in 2000 with Pine Dance, 2003 with Evolving Tactics and 2004 with Simple Exchange. The 2/1 favourite, Wilcox Inn, who won the first leg of the Mid-America Triple, the Arlington Classic in May, followed up here in the second leg, powering up the straight to win comfortably by four lengths for trainer Mike Stidham and jockey Robby Albarado. The Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes which will be held next month again at Arlington will be the last leg in the Triple. Donal Murphy
