Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 1 Arlington Million comes our way this Saturday, August 17 from Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. A purse of $1 million will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to go 1 1/4 miles on Arlington Park’s turf track.
A truly international field of 13 has been confirmed for the Arlington Million – race 10 on Arlington Park’s Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:44 PM. Let’s take a look at the past performances of all 13 combatants for this Grade 1 stakes. A win here creates an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf in November.
Grandeur – Irish bred gelding made his North American debut with an impressive win in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita November 2 and followed that up with another very good result – a second as favorite in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby behind Unbridled Command November 25. He came on to win the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes in December before shipping back to Ireland where he has a fourth and a second in the group II Sky Bet York Stakes behind the talented Mukhadram in July. This after nearly eight months away. Before heading home he had won four of six races, many on big stages. Grandeur is viewed as a rising star in many people’s eyes and hopes a return to North America will help him regain that form. He is the 7-2 favorite on the morning line but breaks from the far outside Saturday.
Indy Point – Richard Mandella trained Argentinean colt had five wins (two thirds of the Argentinean Triple Crown), four seconds and three third place finishes at home before shipping to North America. He has one start on American soil and it was a good one – a win in the minor Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar July 24. He has been in the money in every career start but races in stakes company in North America for the first time against the best International field he has ever seen. He is the second choice on the morning line at 9-2 odds and breaks from post 7 with hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens in the saddle.
Little Mike – is the defending champion in this race who also won the Breeders’ Cup Turf in November to end his 2012 season with a fifth in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in September sandwiched in there. He spent the first part of 2013 in Dubai with disappointing results – two races there resulted in an eleventh March 30 in the Dubai Duty Free and an eighth in a Group 1 race – both result at Meydan Racecourse. He returned to North America July 6 and produced another somewhat disappointing result – a fourth in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 6. He won three of five starts in the US before his trip overseas – all Grade 1 races on turf but hasn’t placed in any one of his Grade 1 races in 2013. He hopes to regain his form for trainer Dale Romans. Little Mike has 12 wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 24 career starts. Despite being the defending champion, Little Mike is the bettor’s third choice at 5-1 odds with Joel Rosario in the saddle.
Hunter’s Light – Irish bred entry looked terrific in the winter winning three straight races – one in Rome and the other two at Meydan. He went on to a disappointing seventh in the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup in March and followed that with a sixth in a Grade 1 stakes in Singapore. His last effort was a respectable third in the Grade 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munchen July 28. His form was terrific in the winter – hopes are that he can regain that form this Saturday. He has won a Grade 1 stakes on two different continents, will have three time champion British jockey Ryan Moore in the saddle, is 8-1 on the morning line and breaks from post 3.
Real Solution – highly regarded Chad Brown trained Italian import had five starts in at home with three wins to start his career, a sixth and a second in his last race overseas. He made his North American debut with an OK fourth in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes May 4 after being out of action since September and followed that with a respectable third last time out in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap June 8 at Belmont Park. He sits at 10-1 on the morning line – the fifth choice and he breaks from the rail Saturday.
Mull of Killough – ships in from Ireland for the Millions in OK form. He won three straight at Newmarket starting in the winter but was a disappointing fifth in a Grade 1 Stakes at Singapore in May. Last time out was a second at Ascot July 13 for trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam. He has 27 career starts with eight wins, five seconds and three third place finishes. He goes off at 12-1 odds – the co-sixth choice along with…
Side Glance – British bred gelding has yet to hit the board in three starts this year and hasn’t placed since a pair for seconds last summer. He did finish an OK fourth in the Dubai World Cup ahead of Hunter’s Light at Meydan in March but most recently was seventh at Ascot June 19. He has seven wins, four seconds and six thirds in 27 career starts.
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Guest of Honor – Irish bred colt has raced five times in 2013 and has placed in all – a win in May at Royal Windsor, a trio of seconds in the spring and a third last time out at Ascot July 13. He has been no worse than that third since his second career start and is an intriguing shipper for the Millions. He sits at 15-1 odds on the morning line.
The Apache – South African shipper spent the first part of the year in the UAE and won a Group 2 Stakes in January and finished second in a Group 2 Stakes in March. He went on to a second on the Grade 1 Dubai Duty Free before a disappointing fourth last time out in the Sky Bet York Stakes behind Grandeur July 27. The Apache has seven wins including the 2011 Champions Cup in Africa, four seconds and a third place finish in 19 career starts and is 15-1 on the morning line.
Rahystrada placed in his first five starts in 2012 – three third place finishes including last year’s Arlington Millions, a respectable third behind Turbo Compressor and Air Support in the Colonial Turf Cup, a win in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap on July 14 and a good second in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes at Kentucky Downs September 15. He ended 2012 with a fourth in the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland in October and was away for nearly seven months before a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Dows May 2. Last time out was a repeat win in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap July 13 after a fourth in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes June 9. He has two wins and a third place finish (which came in the 2012 Millions) in his last three starts on this track and will be hoping the magic continues Saturday but is 20-1 on the morning line with Rosie Napravnik in the saddle.
Finnegans Wake – Dale Romans trained colt is won an Allowance at Churchill Downs June 30 2012 and has placed in only three of seven since including a third in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby and a second in the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington Park August 18 He also had a fourth in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in September and a seventh in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes in November. Last time out was a fourth in the Man o’ War Stakes after another fourth in the competitive Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap June 8 and a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs May 18. he sits at 30-1 odds on the morning line along with a trio of entries.
Nate’s Mineshaft – has raced three straight times on this track and is coming off his first win in over a year – an Allowance Optional Claiming July 27. He was good in 2012 with wins in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap, the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap and the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap but has struggled to find his form this year. Nate’s Mineshaft’s last graded stakes action came in May – a ninth in the Grade 3 Hanshin Cup here after nearly a year away from racing. He has 19 career starts with eight wins, two seconds and two third place finishes.
Temeraine – most recently finished a very nice second in the Grade 3 Arlington handicap on this track after three straight Allowance Optional Claiming races – one of them producing a win March 27 for trainer Tom Proctor. He has just one other graded stakes start – an eleventh in the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs in November.
Race 10 on Arlington Park’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:44 PM.
Entry | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Real Solution | A. Garcia | C. Brown | |
2 | Finnegans Wake | R. Albarado | D. Romans | |
3 | Hunter’s Light (IRE) | R. Moore | S. bin Suroor | |
4 | Nates Mineshaft | E. Baird | A. Smith | |
5 | Temeraine | E. Castro | T. Proctor | |
6 | Side Glance (GB) | J. Spencer | A. Balding | |
7 | Indy Point (ARG) | G. Stevens | R. Mandella | |
8 | Mull of Killough (IRE) | J. O’Brien | J. Chapple-Hyam | |
9 | Guest of Honour (IRE) | M. Harley | M. Botti | |
10 | The Apache (SAF) | C. Soumillon | M. de Kock | |
11 | Little Mike | J. Rosario | D. Romans | |
12 | Rahystrada | R. Napravnik | B. Hughes | |
13 | Grandeur (IRE) | W. Buick | J. Noseda |
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