|
 |
Welcome to our comprehensive Arlington Million Day Special section, with the best preview coverage to the big day in Chicago on Saturday, August 11.
Race by race previews, Globeform ratings, selections and betting plans will be be posted here on Friday afternoon.
|
|
|
| Arlington Million winner Jambalaya in focus |
|
Jambalaya’s success in the Arlington Million (G1) was a remarkable result in more ways that one. Many will argue that we have seen better “Million” fields, and quite rightly so, but last year’s winner The Tin Man was runner-up, and what followed next is hardly going to bother the connections of Jambalaya, a $2,500 purchase at the Keeneland Sales four years ago.
That was how little it cost Catherine Day Phillips to secure the son of Langfuhr, out of a moderate mare with moderate results in the paddocks. On Saturday, he rewarded her with a historic win, as Day Phillips became the first woman to train a winner of the Million.
Read more...
|
|
|
|
| Secretariat: Wide open affair |
|
Arlington Saturday: We have enjoyed backing the ‘banker of the day’ in this event quite a few times over the years, but the 2007 Secretariat Stakes (G1) is a tricky affair. With no Kitten’s Joy of Showing Up around, the 10-furlong contest has at least three, possibly four, legitimate winning chances.
Red Giant, coming good at the right time after having defeated some solid performers in the Virginia Derby (G2), is clearly the top American, but the lightly raced American Derby (G2) winner Lattice must also be considered.
Europeans are well represented again, with the Irish trained Group 2 winner Admiralofthefleet taking a drop in class after running fifth against top older horses in England last time out, and the ex-French colt Shamdinan. He was a good third in the Prix du Jockey-Club (G1) at Chantilly but flopped badly in the Irish Derby (G1). Like Admiralofthefleet, who also fits blinkers here, Shamdinan will get Lasix for his stateside debut.
Read more...
|
|
|
|
| Beverly D: Citronnade has six to beat |
|
Arlington Saturday: Seven runners will line up for the 9.5-furlong Beverly D Stakes (G1) on Million day, and the most likely favorite is Robert Frankel’s star Citronnade, who has won all her four races this year.
Coming off a comfortable win in the Beverly Hills Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park, she is set to face the South African wonder mare Irridescence and the Todd Pletcher trained Honey Ryder, a good second to English Channel in the United Nations (G1) on her most recent start. Others worth considering are Royal Highness and Lady of Venice. These two ex-French fillies both produced a career best effort last time out.
Read more...
|
|
|
|
| The Million: After Market to the test |
|
Arlington Saturday: The Tin Man tries to win it back-to-back, After Market tries to consolidate his position as the top turf runner in North America, while one Canadian and three Europeans are shipping in. As we know, they are always dangerous in these lawn events. Danak may be the most interesting of the three Euros, but they are extremely evenly matched on Globeform ratings.
Our ratings also tell us that the Woodbine star, Jambalaya, has a winning chance. This is shaping up to be a very good race and it will be After Market’s toughest test to date.
GLOBEFORM’s TOP THREE
ARLINGTON MILLION XXV (G1)
120 – AFTER MARKET (Storm Cat)
120 – THE TIN MAN (Affirmed)
118 – JAMBALAYA (Langfuhr)
Read more...
|
|
|
|
| Million: Europeans in focus |
|
The Arlington Million (G1) may not be as significant as in its early days, when the legendary John Henry made the race world famous, and the race was captured by pioneering Europeans like of Tolomeo and Teleprompter. ‘The Million’ is still an important event though and, staged more than two months prior to the Breeders’ Cup, the biggest day in the Illinois racing calendar sits comfortably in a spot where it will always get top horses and global attention.
As always, the big turf contest has brought interesting runners from Europe across the pond, and this year we will see three Europeans take on The Tin Man & co; the French trained Doctor Dino, the Irish trained Danak, and Gary Tanaka’s Pressing, an ex-Italian runner now trained in England.
Read more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
