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John Greenhaw
Senior Member
about one (1) week left to Arlington Million Day. Shitload of euros coming in and top jocks from Spa.
I know it's still early, but what are you guys hearing? I know I'm taking a good look at anything Roger Attfield sends in!!
I know it's still early, but what are you guys hearing? I know I'm taking a good look at anything Roger Attfield sends in!!
Comments
30th running of the Grade I Arlington Million
$1,000,000 Guaranteed
3-Year-Old & Upward
One Mile and One-Quarter on the Turf
Contenders:
Title Jockey Owner Trainer
Afsare (GB) Kieren Fallon Sheikh Mohammed Obaid al Maktoum Luca Cumani
Boisterous Jose Lezcano Phipps Stable Claude R. McGaughey III
Colombian (IRE) William Buick H.R.H Princess Haya of Jordan John H. M. Gosden
Crackerjack King (IRE) Ryan Moore Crackerjack King Marco Botti
Little Mike Ramon Dominguez Priscilla Vaccaarezza Dale Romans
Questioning William Buick Princess Haya of Jordan John H. M. Gosden
Rahystrada Joel Rosario Robert C. Courtney Jr. Byron G. Hughes
Treasure Beach (GB) Jamie Spencer Mrs. Fitriani Hay,et. al Aidan O'Brien
Wigmore Hall (IRE) T.B.D. Mark Hawtin Michael L. W. Bell
Possible Contenders for:
Beverly D. 23rd Running GR.1 $ 750,000 Fillies & Mares 3-YO & UP 1 3/16 Turf
Aruna Ramon Dominguez Flaxman Holdings, H. Graham Motion
I'm a Dreamer (IRE) Ryan Moore Andrew Stone David M. Simcock
Joviality (GB) William Buick Princess Haya of Jordan John H. M. Gosden
Kapitale (GER) Gestut Karlshof Andreas Wohler
Marketing Mix Julien Leparoux Glen Hill Farm Tom Proctor
Mystical Star Jose Lezcano Cheyenne Stables LLC Christophe Clement
Romacaca Francisco Torres Frank Calabrese Danny Miller
Stars to Shine Alex Solis The Grange House Mark R. Frostad
Up (IRE) Colm O'Donoghue Derrick Smith,et. al Aidan O'Brien
Upperline James Graham Stone Farm, et. al Mike Stidham
.
Attached is the Sky Bet York Stakes (Asfare and Wigmore Hall come out of this)
Race Video 15:10 York | Jul 28 2012 | Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2) | Sporting Life - Horse Racing News | Live Racing Results, Racecards, Live Betting Shows
Wigmore Hall is a horse I've always thought had talent but continues to come up short. His one positive is that he does like Arlington's turf course, something not every shipper has taken well to. He tends to make one late run, far too late. In the race above, with a new jockey aboard, you can see him trying to move earlier than normal. He gets completely knocked out of the race, so its hard to tell if he would have given any serious challenge to the winner.
Arlington's turf course has been favoring the front end horses slightly more than usual. I haven't seen a program yet, but Little Mike might be worth a play as the likely pace setter of the Million @ good odds.
I've heard that Treasure Beach will not ship. I remember him running 2-3 weeks ago in a VERY soft field and getting worked over. In fact, I'm not sure if this horse has won another race since the Secretariat @ Arlington (again worth noting, he does like the course). Once I have some time after the weekend I'll be in full handicap and try to relay as much info as I can find to the forum.
See you in 9 days JG!
Just spent 8 days in the mountains with the family. Im back to the grind today trying to catch up on all the phone calls I need to return as football approaches the phone starts to blaze.
Still hoping for a surprise visit from you next weekend @ Arlington :toast:
Lucky me, my chicks filming her new show in Chicago for the next 4 weeks. Hope I get a chance to visit "her" next weekend too.
Arlington Million & International Festival of Racing | Arlington Park (Individual Contender PP's + Video)
I have made my preliminary selections in 2 of the 4 major stakes races. Obviously there are certain odds I'm expecting to see on these horses for them to remain my play.
St Ledger:
Jakkalberry
I'm sorry but this horse outclasses the living hell out of this field. He's run competitive races against horses such as St Nicholas Abbey, Opinion Poll, and Foxhunt. If any of those three were entered here they'd be odds on in even the largest of fields. Most competitors here aren't proven at the distance nor are they in good recent form. In fact, more than a handful come out of the weak Stars & Stripes Prep Race for this one in which a 40-1 Chris Block horse wired them. Jakkalberry is running his second race off a short 3 month layoff and should be sitting on go here to outrun a group of misfit American horses dabbling at the distance hoping to run on late for a piece. His biggest competition will likely be Zeider Zee, the German shipper. The jockey advantage here is also present, not because I feel he has a cream of the crop rider, but instead because the shipper jockeys are much more comfortable running these types of marathon races.
Million:
Wigmore Hall
WH is the type of horse that I routinely avoid, but feel this might be the spot for him. I've followed this one over the course of the last year and he's constantly been troubled. The major plus for him is that this horse LOVES the Arlington turf course and that is going to be a question mark for a number of other contenders. Wigmore Hall's last is a complete toss as he was wiped out of the race when a horse cut in front of him. His last two trips to Arlington resulted in two of his best efforts to date, against horses that would be huge favorites if they were still racing. As a 3yo, Wigmore came in for the Secretariat where he was too far off the pace to catch Paddy O Prado (and we all know how good he was as a 3yo on turf). Last year, Wigmore Hall made his return to Arlington Park and Haley Turner gave him a god awful ride. Blocked for room as they approached the far turn, she pulled him out right in front of three fading horses. By the time a gap opened, Cape Blanco had burst 8-9 lengths ahead. He made up some good ground late to run on 4th where he would eventually pass Cape Blanco on the gallop out. To me, this is a wide open Million with no hard knocking local veteran or star strapped shipper coming in. I'll take a stab @ a horse currently listed at 10-1 (I'm expecting 8-1 or better).
I've only narrowed down contenders in the remaining races.
Beverly D - Aruna, Joviality, and Upperline
Secretariat - Daddy Long Legs, Silver Max, Summer Front
I was nearly set on Summer Front, but his pedigree and previous races give me some doubt as to his ability to get the Mile 1/4. While visually he looks like it should not be an issue, this has been nagging at me and prevented him from becoming my selection just yet.
Weather is looking like a perfect 75 degrees and partly cloudy. There is rain coming in Thursday to soften the turf up just a bit to allow enough give but not a soft course where Euros will dominate. I'll continue to update as selections and information comes in.
I think Summer Front is really special, but feel the same way about the trip. This group is suspect, however.
Still a faint glimmer of hope for me making it... but not likely. What airport is better to use in your opinion? I've done Midway only in the past as a connecting flight.
O' Hare is hands down closer to the track. Send me an email : nathantoma@gmail.com if you do end up making it in so we can make sure to get you seated by the rest of us. Make sure to include your phone #.