American Derby goes to 23-1 Union Avenue

Union Avenue, a 23-1 long shot trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Larry Melancon, was a half-length winner of Arlington Park’s oldest stakes race, the Grade II $250,000 American Derby.

The nation’s leading jockey, apprentice Julien Leparoux, guided Cosmonaut to a 2 1/4-length victory in the Grade III $200,000 Arlington Handicap.

But Leparoux had to settle for second, finishing a half-length behind Chic Dancer, when he rode favorite Louve Royale in the Grade III $150,000 Modesty Handicap, and Stream Cat, his third mount for trainer Patrick Biancone, was eighth as the American Derby favorite.