European invaders soak in atmosphere at Arlington

All 14 European hopefuls for the International Festival of Racing got their

first exercise at Arlington Tuesday morning. The horses came in three intervals

-- 6:30 a.m. (CDT), approximately 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

First on the track was The Apache (Arlington Million), who jogged an easy

mile under Philip Shea for trainer Mike de Kock. Next came the threesome of

Duntle (Beverly D. Stakes), First Cornerstone (Secretariat Stakes) and Visiyani.

Duntle was all business under Donal Manning for trainer Dave Wachman as she did

a lap and quickly went back to the barn. First Cornerstone did two spirited laps

and looked to get some great air under Thomas Bradley in the process for trainer

Andy Oliver. The Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Visiyani was a picture of serenity

under Jonathan Fleutot as he went about his training without a hitch and soaked

in his environment.

Moments later, the Michael Bell-trained Wigmore Hall (American St Leger) led

the Marco Botti-trained duo of Guest of Honour (Million) and Dandino (St Leger)

in a single file jog around the course. The son of High Chapparal -- winner of

the Breeders' Cup Turf over the Arlington grass in 2002 -- was full of life on

the track under Gillian Doman. Marco Botti, a Festival winner last year in the

American St Leger, gets in later this week, but his wife Lucie was aboard his

lightly raced Guest of Honour. Stephanie Thewils was on possible St Leger

favorite Dandino. Also on the track was Side Glance, under Leanne Masterton.

At approximately 7:30 a.m., exercise rider Donal Manning got his second spin

on the course when he took out Gifted Girl (Beverly D.), who looked very

comfortable jogging among local trainees. Paul Cole trains the daughter of

Azamour. At about the same time on the other side of the grounds, Mull of

Killough (Million) put in a "gentle canter" on the Arlington training track

under Abigail Harrison, according to a photo and tweet posted by trainer Jane

Chapple-Hyam.

At 11:00 a.m. the final group of Europeans hit the course when the Saeed bin

Suroor-trained Hunter's Light (Million), Sir Michael Stoute-trained Dank

(Beverly D.) and the Jeremy Noseda-trained duo of Grandeur (Million) and Yeager

(Secretariat) cleared quarantine.

Grandeur and Yeager hit the course first, with Yeager putting in a spirited

gallop over the Polytrack course under Joe Scully, while stretching out nicely.

Grandeur, under Wayne Tanner, was more reserved and relaxed -- routinely

galloping as if he has been stabled here his entire career.

Hunter's Light then hit the ground and stretched his legs over the surface. A

Group 1 winner on both turf and synthetic, he struck the ground with purpose

under regular exercise rider Jeff Marshall. Godolphin representative Steve

Armstrong looked on as the muscular son of Dubawi went through his first steps

over the local course.

"He looked good, I think," he reported. "Tomorrow he'll do a 10-furlong

canter and we'll see how he feels. We'll wait for (head trainer) Saeed (bin

Suroor) to get here."

Armstrong's confidence is well founded based on what appeared to be an

obvious preparatory race in Munich on July 28, where Hunter's Light finished

third in the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen.

"The German race was basically sort of just a stepping stone. This was always

the plan, to come here," he explained.

Last fall, the earner of $925,111 impressively took down the Premio Roma at

Capannelle on the grass at the 10-furlong distance of the Arlington Million.

Since then, Hunter's Light has been aimed toward the best middle distance

races in the world. He ran three races in Dubai in the late winter and early

spring, including a win in the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 and a seventh in the

Dubai World Cup. Before his placing in Germany, the globetrotting horse was a

decent sixth in the International Cup in Singapore.

"He's a pro -- nothing bothers him. He's so relaxed and has traveled so

much," Armstrong said.

The last European to hit the track Tuesday was the impeccably fit Dank, who

took her time soaking up the paddock and then the course itself. A curious

filly, she walked around for quite some time before deciding it was time to jog

under Marie Doe.

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