Trading Leather enters Arlington Million calculations; Magician confirmed

Trading Leather enters Arlington Million calculations;

Magician confirmed

Godolphin's Trading Leather is considering the transatlantic trip for the

Grade 1 Arlington

Million on August 16, according to the International

Racing Bureau. The winner of last year's classic Irish Derby is exiting a

lackluster performance in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes on July 26

at Ascot, but has five Group 1 placings prior to that effort to back up his

formidable class.

Trained by breeder Jim Bolger -- whose wife, Jackie, campaigned the charge before

he was sold to Godolphin at the end of the

2013 season -- the son of European champion juvenile Teofilo has excelled at or

around the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Million, including a valiant second in the

Eclipse behind Mukhadram on July 5 and a solid runner-up

performance to Declaration of War -- who would go on to finish third in the

Breeders' Cup Classic

-- in last year's Juddmonte International Stakes

at York as a sophomore.

A lover of fast ground, the bay

four-year-old has rarely performed well with too much give in the turf and,

similar to fellow Million probable Magician, did not relish the surface at

Ascot last time. It would not be the first time that a European defied the

form of a King George and flourished on American soil after a battle.

Coolmore's Magician, after being

labeled possible in Thursday's notes, is now probable according to the

International Racing Bureau. Representatives at Ballydoyle -- trainer Aidan

O'Brien's home base -- have confirmed such. Coming off a poor performance

in the King George, the son of

Galileo will be looking to regain the form that saw him annex the

Breeders' Cup Turf in fine style in 2013 at Santa Anita.

In other Ballydoyle news, Michael

Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier's Festive Cheer is now under

consideration for the $400,000 American St. Leger. The son of

stamina-infusing champion sire Montjeu is exiting a prep in the Meld

Stakes at the Curragh over 1 1/4 miles -- well short of his best distance -- and has

shown class in the past. Last year, the bay colt was third,

beaten less than four lengths, to Trading Leather in the Irish Derby at

that same course. Earlier this year, the four-year-old was thought of highly

enough to contest the Dubai Sheema Classic, finishing off the board.

Superfecta bettors everywhere can

enjoy a sigh of relief as it was confirmed Friday morning by trainer Andrew

Balding -- by way of the International Racing Bureau -- that Pearl Bloodstock's

Side Glance will be returning to the United States for a fourth time for the Arlington Million.

The seven-year-old gelding finished fourth in the Woodbine Mile in 2011,

third in last year's Million and third in the United Nations last out at

Monmouth Park on July 6. The nearly black son of Passing Glance went off

at odds of 7-1, 24-1 and 5-1, respectively.

Carrying his form well over the last few seasons on multiple continents, the

talented and consistent English-bred and -trained charge has earned more than

$2.4 million, while winning eight of 36 starts. His best performances have

come on good-to-firm ground over 1 1/4-mile trips, including a victory in the

Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington Racecourse in Australia last November.

The 38th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Secretariat Stakes is shaping up as a fine affair, with players from

multiple regions of the United States, as well as Europe. One who may be

overlooked is Ninety North Racing Stable's Sheldon, a talented son of late

stallion Purim, who himself won the Arlington Classic in 2005.

"We are planning on coming if we get

into the race," trainer Jimmy Toner said. "He's a nice colt. The question has

always been waiting for the distance with him. He needs more ground and I knew

he would be a nice colt once he stretched out."

Last out, the game chestnut was an

unlucky fifth -- beaten a dissipating 4 1/2 lengths -- in the Belmont Derby

Invitational behind Mr Speaker at Belmont Park.

"He could have won that

day. He ran a good race after he got checked twice in the stretch. I think

he could have been right there, otherwise.

"I had told Junior (Alvarado, jockey)

to stay out of trouble, but if he would have followed Mr Speaker up the inside,

he would have been OK," Toner continued. "I'm not going to say he would have

won, but he would have been right there."

Though Sheldon has only a maiden win

to his credit -- and it took him seven tries to do so - he has always been highly

regarded. In his second start, after closing stoutly to finish a length

third in his maiden debut, he raced in the Pilgrim Stakes.

Unfortunately, he ran into Bobby's Kitten that day and finished sixth.

"I think you can do that with a two-year-old," Toner said. "I knew he was

good and wanted to go farther. We were taking a shot. Just like in the Belmont

Derby -- we took a shot and now we're regrouping. He will love the distance of

the Secretariat and is a 'next year' kind of horse. When he gets to those 1

3/8-miles and 1 1/2-miles events, he'll be tough."

It will not be the first time Toner

and Ninety North came to Chicagoland with a talented turf sophomore. In

2007, they took down the Hawthorne Derby with Bold Hawk.

"Bold

Hawk was one of those ones who was exceptional. Actually, he was a mean

horse," Toner laughed. "I went to visit him the other day and he was still

tough. You never thought he was going to make it, but he did.

"Sheldon is 'Sheldon' -- he's a horse who has a lot of personality; he's in a

world of his own and is kind of funny. You know him when you come into the barn

-- it's like, 'that's Sheldon'. He takes care of himself and is a neat horse."

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