'A hell of a man' - Cumani hails Arlington chief Duchossois who has died at 100

Luca Cumani has hailed the life and contribution of racecourse and racehorse owner Dick Duchossois, who has died at the age of 100.

Duchossois was the driving force behind Arlington Park's rise to prominence and the owner of several top-class performers with the Newmarket trainer, including 1991 Sussex Stakes winner Second Set.

Known affectionately as Mr D, Duchossois wore many hats in an eventful life. Born in Chicago in 1921, he joined the army at the age of 20 and was a decorated hero of World War II who was feared dead from a wound but returned to the front as the commander of a tank destroyer battalion.

He served in five European campaigns under storied General George S Patton and received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service. He was also awarded the Legion d'Honneur by the French government.

A father of four, he was involved in the car manufacturing business and became a noted philanthropist following the death of his wife, Beverly, to cancer in 1980. He named the Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park in her honour.

Arlington Park: venue benefited from Duchossois's visionCredit: Anne Eberhardt Keogh

Duchossois, who is survived by his second wife Judi, probably owes his legacy in racing to an electrical fire at Arlington in 1985, two years after he bought the track.

Not deterred by the damage, Duchossois insisted the upcoming Arlington Million, the track's signature event, should go ahead, while the rebuild resulted in the Illinois venue becoming a world-class course that welcomed the Breeders' Cup in 2002.

Duchossois, inducted in US racing's Hall of Fame in 2019 as a Pillar of the Turf, had horses in Britain with Cumani, including Second Set, who won the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in 1991.

The only US Grade 1 he won was the Beverly D Stakes with Eclair De Lune in 2010.

In 2000, Duchossois and his partners sold Arlington to Churchill Downs Inc, parent company of Churchill Downs racetrack, and he became a director of that company, but retired from the board in 2019, at the age of 97. Last September, a fortnight before Duchossois's 100th birthday, Arlington held its last race meeting. It has been sold and looks likely to be redeveloped as an NFL stadium.

"The first time I met him was when I went over to Arlington with Tolomeo in 1983, which was before the track burned down," Cumani said.

Luca Cumani: trainer enjoyed great success with DuchossoisCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I went back three or four more times before he started having horses with me. Celestial Storm, who won the Princess of Wales's in 1987, was the first good horse he had with me, and after that he had some other fantastic ones.

"He was a lovely man – a great enthusiast. He'd buy two or three yearlings every year and we had great success with, firstly, Celestial Storm, Statoblest, Second Set, a filly called Ohsomellow and Fire The Groom.

"He never mentioned his military career. I had to find it out myself as in those days there wasn't the internet, so you couldn't find out much. I heard from people who knew him that he was a hell of a man in the war and did great things."

The now retired Newmarket trainer, who won the Derby twice in a glittering career, added: "What he did for Arlington was unbelievable. When I went there with Tolomeo it was just a big concrete lump of a stand and when I went back after he rebuilt it it was the most pleasant setting. Everything was beautifully done for the racegoers and the participants and he was very proud of it. It's one of the most attractive, high-class venues I've been to; it was a pleasure to go.

"He had many businesses, but once he got Arlington he devoted himself to it and was there every day. He took it on with a passion and saw racing as an international opportunity.

"It's very sad, but I'm glad he had such a good and long life."

Duchossois's contribution to the sport was recognised by three Eclipse Awards – Special (1985 and 1989) and Merit (2003) – and special awards in 1988 at the Derby Awards (Britain) and Sovereign Awards (Canada).

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