Magician could start on Saturday in the Arlington Million
A short list of seven horses has been pre-entered for the Arlington Million (gr. IT) Aug. 16, headed by defending Million champion Real Solution and 2013 Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT) victor Magician.
Payment of $15,000 for entry and starting fees was due Aug. 8 for the 32nd renewal of the signature race at Arlington International Racecourse. If all seven start, it would equal the smallest field in the history of the event.
One pre-entrant, Hardest Core, was also nominated for the American St. Leger on the Aug. 16 program at Arlington. Others pre-entered in the Million are Finnegans Wake, Side Glance, Smoking Sun, and Up With the Birds. The track reported that Trading Leather, the 2013 Irish Derby (Ire-I) winner, expected to be a leading contender, was withdrawn with a slight injury.
Magician, trained by Aidan O’Brien for Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Mrs. John Magnier, could become the first since Manilla in 1987 to win the Million the summer after taking the Breeders’ Cup Turf. O’Brien has won the Million twice previously with Cape Blanco in 2011 and Powerscourt in 2005. Powerscourt was disqualified from victory in 2004.
Real Solution, winner of the Knob Creek Manhattan Stakes (gr. IT) June 7 for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Chad Brown, was awarded last year’s Million upon the disqualification of The Apache.
Flaxman Holdings’ Smoking Sun is a group II winner in France for trainer Pascal Bary, while Pearl Bloodstock’s British-bred Side Glance, third in last year’s Million, was most recently third in the United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) at Monmouth Park.
Up With the Birds was a four-length winner of the Nijinksy Stakes (Can-IIT) July 19 at Woodbine, while Finnegans Wake comes off a victory in the Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT).
There were 11 fillies and mares pre-entered in the $750,000 Beverly D. (gr. IT) including recent Diana Stakes (gr. IT) winner Somali Lemonade. The others are Alterite, Emollient, Euro Charline, I’m Already Sexy, Just the Judge, La Tia, Sparkling Beam, Stephanie’s Kitten, Street of Gold, and Tannery.
O’Brien has Adelaide pre-entered in the $500,000 Secretariat (gr. IT). The recent runner-up in the Belmont Derby (gr. IT) is joined by stablemate Belisarius, Can’thelpbelieving, Divine Oath, General Jack, Global View, Highball, Sheldon, and Tourist.
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