The Arlington Million (G1) anchors a seven-stakes program at Colonial Downs on Sunday, 24 hours later than originally scheduled due to the effects of Tropical Storm Debby. In keeping with the tradition from their original home of Arlington Park, the Beverly D. (G2) and Secretariat (G2) serve as the major supporting races for the Million.
Arlington Million (G1): Race 11, 6:40 p.m. ET
Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby has an embarrassment of riches in the turf male division, so it’s significant that he relies on Nations Pride here. Indeed, the son of Teofilo has the right profile for the $1 million prize. That makes him the one to beat in a six-horse field that includes course aficionado Integration.
Nations Pride has scored most of his wins going 1 1/4 miles, notably last season’s Grosser Dallmayr-Preis (Bayerisches-Zuchtrennen) (G1) in Munich and the Canadian International (G1) at Woodbine. The Million marks his first opportunity in 2024 to tackle arguably his favorite distance.
Moreover, Nations Pride is finally getting away from up-and-coming Godolphin stablemates who have foiled him of late.
Returning in the 1 3/8-mile Man o’ War (G2), he chased the pace and succumbed to the more patiently ridden Silver Knott and Ohana Honor. Nations Pride cut back to 1 3/16 miles in the Manhattan (G1), over the same course and distance as his 2023 Saratoga Derby (G1) victory, and wound up second to highly regarded Measured Time. Now the lone Godolphin hope in the Million, Nations Pride also reunites with go-to rider William Buick for the first time this season.
Additional international interest comes in the form of British shipper Ancient Rome, who sports a lucrative stateside win himself. Last year, the Charlie Hills runner plundered the Mint Millions (G3) at Kentucky Downs. Ancient Rome warmed up for this venture by finishing second in Ascot’s Summer Mile (G2) to the undefeated Quddwah. Jamie Spencer, who engineered his Kentucky Downs coup, comes in for the ride.
Ancient Rome’s owner, Mrs. Fitri Hay, has another contender in the Graham Motion-trained Highland Chief. The homebred enjoyed his greatest success in 2022, landing the Man o’ War (G1) and Sycamore (G3), but he’s been on the comeback trail after missing all of 2023. Highland Chief has been racing himself into form, and the seven-year-old is eligible to do better in this fourth start off the long layoff.
Integration, a perfect 3-for-3 at Colonial, is the definition of a horse for the course. A scintillating debut winner on Million Day a year ago, the Shug McGaughey trainee next conquered the Virginia Derby (G3) in course-record time. Integration completed the hat trick with a stunning display in the Hill Prince (G2) at Aqueduct, but he came back to earth when facing older Grade 1 rivals this season.
Returning to Colonial and reuniting with jockey Kendrick Carmouche helped Integration bounce back with a vengeance in the July 13 Million Preview S. The question now is whether he can duplicate that effort against a tougher field.
The early pace is likely to come from Talk of the Nation and Sugoi.
Talk of the Nation tries a new distance after placing in three straight mile stakes for Todd Pletcher, including the Poker (G3) and Kelso (G3). Sugoi makes the opposite move by shortening up in trip. In his first start off the claim for Mike Maker, Sugoi upset the 1 1/2-mile Louisville (G3) at 19-1 odds. He nearly made it two in a row when missing by a half-length in the 1 3/8-mile Chorleywood Overnight S.
Beverly D. (G2): Race 10, 5:50 p.m. ET
The Million’s sister race for turf distaffers, the $500,000 Beverly D., offers a free pass to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The 1 3/16-mile test has a Canadian flavor, as defending champion Fev Rover meets fellow Woodbine-based superstar Moira. Although Fev Rover succeeded Moira as Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2023, Moira enters in sharper form.
Voted the Canadian Horse of the Year in 2022 after turning the Queen’s Plate/Woodbine Oaks double, Moira settled for mostly minor awards last year. She traded decisions with Fev Rover but notably delivered a far stronger performance than her nemesis in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Moira fared best among the North Americans when third, while Fev Rover was a lackluster 11th of 12.
That result might be taken as a harbinger of their fortunes this term. Fev Rover returned with a sixth in a deep renewal of the June 7 New York (G1), and she was runner-up in her title defense in the June 29 Nassau (G2) back at Woodbine. Moira resurfaced in the July 13 Diana (G1) and exploded off a pedestrian pace to finish an excellent second.
Fev Rover, who bossed a scratch-reduced field here last summer, will encounter a different scenario. However, the Mark Casse mare is tactically flexible. The rain-softened ground could also help her chances of becoming just the second two-time Beverly D. winner, after champion Sistercharlie (2018-19).
Neecie Marie had excelled in her first two outings of the season, upsetting future Diana winner Whitebeam in the Beaugay (G3) and rallying smartly for second in the New York. Her ensuing 10th in the Diana was too bad to be true, and it would be no surprise if Neecie Marie turns the page here.
Also coming off the Diana is sixth-placer Mission of Joy, who was disadvantaged by the lack of pace. Graham Motion’s multiple Grade 3 scorer is capable of getting involved with the right setup, as shown in her close thirds in last October’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) and the June 7 Just a Game (G1).
Nadette, a bridesmaid in graded company for most of her career, broke through in the April 4 Wilshire (G3). The Neil Drysdale mare proved her affinity for this course when romping in the 1 1/16-mile Beverly D. Preview S. If the added distance and stiffer company are question marks, her aptitude for soft ground could compensate.
Libban likewise seeks to keep her momentum going after posting a second-best Brisnet speed rating in the Wasted Tears S. at Lone Star Park.
Secretariat (G2): Race 9, 5:20 p.m. ET
Three of the contenders in the $500,000 turf affair for sophomores – Trikari, First World War, and Fulmineo – are cross-entered to Saturday’s Saratoga Derby. The trio did not initially sign up for the Saratoga Derby when it was set for last Saturday. After a deluge of rain washed out turf racing at the Spa that day, the Saratoga Derby was postponed one week and redrawn.
Now they are keeping options open by entering the 1 3/16-mile prize at Saratoga and the one-mile Secretariat. But rain is expected to be a factor again in both locations.
Trikari comes off a gritty victory in the Belmont Derby, which was moved to Aqueduct and trimmed to 1 3/16 miles this year. If Motion sends Trikari to Colonial, he would try to emulate sire Oscar Performance, who turned the Belmont Derby/Secretariat double in 2017.
Yet the distances have changed in the interim. Both were Grade 1 events at 1 1/4 miles in Oscar Performance’s day, while Trikari has to deal with shortening up in trip. Two starts back in the Penn Mile (G3), Trikari was a near-miss third to First World War, suggesting that the Secretariat distance might not be as amenable.
First World War, in contrast, stands to benefit from reverting to a mile. Last time out in the 1 1/16-mile American Derby at Churchill Downs, First World War was a well-beaten second behind Brilliant Berti. Now First World War adds blinkers for the rematch.
Fulmineo is 2-for-2 since adding blinkers. Rolling from off the pace in the James W. Murphy S. on Preakness Day at Pimlico, the Arnaud Delacour trainee followed up in the July 13 Boston S. at this course and distance. Both came over soft going, so the rainy forecast holds no fears for him.
In a Jam, who had a productive meet at Gulfstream, was only fourth in the Boston, while Rock’n a Halo exits a fourth in Churchill’s Audubon S.
Mattingly, a consistent type in turf sprints, hopes to hit a home run on the step up to a mile. Fellow pace factor General Ledger takes a class hike after wiring a Gulfstream allowance. Bear River has the option of stretching out versus fellow sophomores in the Secretariat or sticking to his sprint game against elders in the Van Clief S.
Undercard stakes
The presence of Godolphin’s Mischief Magic makes the $150,000 Van Clief S. (eighth race, 4:40 p.m. ET) the most compelling of the card’s non-graded stakes. Originally set for last Saturday’s Troy (G2) at Saratoga, the Appleby runner has been rerouted here in the wake of the weather-driven postponement at the Spa. Witty could be rerouted as well; he’s cross-entered to the Van Clief and to the rescheduled Troy on Saturday, both 5 1/2-furlong turf dashes.
The stakes action begins in the fifth race, the $100,000 Petramalo Mile (3 p.m. ET), for three-year-olds on the main track. Hades and Real Macho, who both tried the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail at Gulfstream Park this season before lowering their sights, are the main players.
Sophomore fillies get their turn in the $100,000 Penny Chenery S. (sixth race, 3:30 p.m. ET) at seven furlongs, and female turf sprinters square off in the $150,000 Andy Guest S. (seventh race, 4:05 p.m. ET).
