Turf champion KITTEN’S JOY (El Prado [Ire]) headlines a field of 10 entered
for the 23rd running of the Arlington Million (G1), the centerpiece of three
Grade 1 races on Saturday’s International Festival of Racing. Trained by Dale
Romans, the four-year-old colt returned from knee surgery to easily capture the
July 4 Firecracker Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) in his seasonal bow last out and showed an
affinity for the Chicago turf when recording a 3 1/4-length victory in last
year’s Secretariat S. (G1). Kitten’s Joy is an overwhelming 6-5 favorite on the
morning line and will break from the rail with jockey Edgar Prado.
SWEET RETURN (GB) (Elmaamul) was unplaced in last year’s Million but enters
the 2005 event in much better form for trainer Ron McAnally, recording wins in
the Eddie Read H. (G1) and Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1) in his last two
outings. The five-year-old horse is the 5-1 second choice. Group 1 winner
POWERSCOURT (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) proved much the best in last year’s Million
before being controversially disqualified and is back for this year’s affair.
Top European jockey Kieren Fallon has the mount for Aidan O’Brien. TOUCH OF LAND
(Fr) (Lando [Ger]), a Group 2 winner in France and Germany, has also invaded
from Europe.
WHILLY (Ire) (Sri Pekan) enters the Million off a victory in the American H.
(G2) at Hollywood Park and finished a good second in the Dubai Duty Free
(UAE-G1) earlier this year for conditioner Doug O’Neill. Multiple Grade 1 hero
GOOD REWARD (Storm Cat) exits a game score in the Manhattan H. (G1) at Belmont
Park. COOL CONDUCTOR (Stravinsky) merits respect off an easy win in the
Arlington H. (G3) and defeated a top-class field in the Dixie S. (G2) three
starts back.
Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) victor BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man) is cross-entered
to both the Million and Saturday’s Sword Dancer Invitational H. (G1) at
Saratoga, and trainer H. Graham Motion now appears likely to choose the Million
due to the possibility of a soft turf.
The Million field, from the rail with riders and morning-line odds, is
Kitten’s Joy; Touch of Land, Pat Valenzuela, 12-1; Good Reward, Jerry Bailey,
10-1; FOURTY NINERS SON (Distorted Humor), Corey Nakatani, 12-1; Whilly, Felipe
Martinez, 15-1; Better Talk Now, Ramon Dominguez, 6-1; Sweet Return, Alex Solis;
ALOST (Fr) (Highest Honor [Fr]), Frederic Spanu, 50-1; Powerscourt, 6-1; and
Cool Conductor, Cornelio Velasquez, 10-1.