The 79th season of racing begins Friday at Arlington Park. The 95-day meet
continues through September 12. Mondays and Tuesdays will be dark, with the
exception of Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and September 11 and 12.
As usual, the International Festival of Racing on August 12 — featuring the
Arlington Million (G1), the $750,000 Beverly D. S. (G1) and the $400,000
Secretariat S. (G1) — highlights the stakes schedule. All three races will be
decided on Arlington’s turf course. The Million and the Secretariat are both at 1 1/4 miles while
the Beverly D. will be run at 1 3/16 miles.
The Secretariat, for three-year-olds, is the final leg of Arlington’s
Mid-America Triple, which begins with the Arlington Classic (G3) on July 1 and
continues with the American Derby (G2) on July 22.
Another important event is the $300,000 Washington Park H. (G2) on July
29.
The Arlington Breeders’ Cup Oaks on August 19 was restored to Grade
3 status for this year’s renewal. The nine-furlong event also received a purse
increase and is now worth $150,000.
In addition, track officials announced a
$2,000 per race purse increase for all maiden special weight and allowance races,
effective with the opening day card.