The biggest day of the meeting at Arlington Park is coming up on Saturday, a 12-race card with seven stakes including the marquee event of the meeting, the Arlington Million, one of three Grade 1 races on the outstanding betting card.
This year’s Arlington Million drew a field of 13 including six overseas invaders. Among the Euros is Grandeur, who is the 7-2 morning line favorite off a runner up finish in the York Stakes (G2) on July 27.
The Grade 1 action starts with the $500,000 Secretariat for three-year-olds that drew a field of 13 including a trio of Euro invaders. The Todd Pletcher trained Jack Milton is the 3-1 morning line favorite. The colt was third in the Virginia Derby (G2) in his last outing, beaten just a couple of heads for the top spot.
The $750,000 Beverly D. drew a field of nine fillies and mares that will go 1 3/16 miles on the turf. The Tom Proctor trained Marketing Mix, winner of the Gamely (G1) and Sunset Handicap (G3) in her last two starts is the 2-1 morning line favorite.
Looking for a longshot to include in your Pick 4? There are plenty to be found, and here is a runner in each of the three Grade 1 races today that figures to be right in the mix at a generous price:
AP Race 8 The Secretariat G1 (4:23 CT)
Tattenham (10-1) makes his stakes debut here coming off a head loss against Alw-2 optional claimers at Belmont Park going 1 1/4 miles. The winner Star Channel returned to run fifth in the John's Call while third place finisher Tricky hat came back to beat Alw-2 optional claimers in his next outing at Saratoga.
The colt has shown improvement in each outing and figures to get overlooked on the tote here. He is in good hands with the Bill Mott barn and has enough pedigree to handle the distance. He is by Rock Hard Ten out of the stakes winner Proud Fact (2 for 5, $51,906) who has dropped three other turf winners, top earner Boasting ($120,600). The outside draw is not perfect but we should catch a decent price.
AP Race 9 The Beverly D. G1 (5:02 CT)
Gifted Girl (12-1) is one of three Euro invaders and is going to be the best price of the trio. She really did not do much as a three year old but has matured this year winning two of three starts and running a good second in the other outing.
She beat Ladys First last out winning a minor stake at Pontefract and note the filly she beat ran second between the other two Euros in here in the Duke of Cambridge (G2) at Ascot back in June. She receives lasix and appears to have some upside and is going to be a decent price in this spot.
AP Race 10 The Arlington Million G1 (5:44 CT)
Real Solution (10-1) is coming off a good effort in the Manhattan 'Cap (G1) at Belmont Park over yielding footing which was his second start since coming state side and landing with the Chad Brown barn. The colt stalked the early pace, came with a four wide rally and came up just 1 3/4 lengths short of getting to Point of Entry and beaten just a neck by Optimizer, who came back to run fifth in the Man o' War (G1) and goes in today's Sword Dancer (G1) at the Spa.
Two back off a 7 1/2 month layoff he ran decent in a fourth place finish in the Ft. Marcy (G3). The third place finisher in that race was King Kreesa, who came back to win the state bred Kingston and the Poker (G2) and then ran a good second to Wise Dan in the Fourstardave (G2) in his most recent outing. Our top pick won three of his five starts in Italy but came up short in his only start in Group company. By Kitten's Joy out of a Pulpit mare he is bred to handle 1 1/4 miles and it looks as if we should get a decent price and this is not one of the deepest fields for this race we have seen in recent years.
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