Mister D. S. (G1) – Race 9 (7:13 p.m. ET)
America’s leading turf horse, Domestic Spending will seek his fourth straight Grade 1 victory when he lines up for Saturday’s $600,000 Mister D. (G1) at Arlington Park.
Formerly known as the Arlington Million, the 1 1/4-mile turf affair has attracted 10 runners, including a pair of international invaders, and headlines a solid program that also features the Beverly D. (G1) for turf distaffers and the Bruce D. (G1) for three-year-old turf milers.
Chad Brown will send out English-bred Domestic Spending for Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables. The trainer/owner combined to win the last Million in 2019, via eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, and Brown has captured the last three editions and a record four overall.
Domestic Spending may be odds-on following his outstanding 2 3/4-length triumph as the favorite in the June 5 Manhattan (G1) at Belmont Park. A dead-heat scorer when opening his four-year-old season in the Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard, the gelded son of Kingman concluded 2019 by taking the Hollywood Derby (G1).
He’s won six-of-seven career outings, and Domestic Spending will break from post 3 with Flavien Prat.
Armory, an English Group 2 hero this season for Coolmore and Aidan O’Brien, merits respect. A four-time Group winner, the four-year-old Galileo colt has also placed in six Group 1 events, including the Prince of Wales’s at Royal Ascot two back. Ryan Moore will be in to ride.
Irish Group 2 victor Space Traveller has U.S. experience, finishing eighth in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), but the five-year-old will need to find form to challenge after producing a pair of unplaced showings in his last two starts. Regular rider Daniel Tudhope has the call.
Grade 1 winner Zulu Alpha is the top domestic challenger to the favorite. A three-time graded scorer last year for Mike Maker, the eight-year-old gelding will add Luis Saez for his second start of the season. Maker has also entered Churchill Downs allowance winner Glynn County, who exits a fifth in the United Nations (G1).
Bizzee Channel, Two Emmys, and Another Mystery – the top three respective finishers from the July 17 Arlington S. (G3) – are back for the Mister D. Last-out Ellis allowance winner Big Dreaming and multiple restricted stakes victor Strong Tide complete the field.
