LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2021) ―  Arlington Park, a hallmark of international racing for the past 40 years, will likely close its doors after this season. In tribute to the 99-year-old Richard L Duchossois, who took over the reins at Arlington in the early 1980s, this year’s Arlington Million has been renamed the Mr. D. Stakes. The Arlington Million was the first $1 million purse for a Thoroughbred race in the United States. The inaugural Million in 1981, broadcast live on NBC, was won by the great John Henry by a nose over longshot The Bart. After a devasting fire destroyed the grandstand just weeks before the 1985 Million, Duchossois mobilized a temporary facility and still conducted the race. It was dubbed the “Miracle Million” that year. He built a new Arlington Park, and in 1989 opened one of racing’s most remarkable and fan-friendly venues. Saturday’s  Mr. D Stakes, led by Domestic Spending (GB), the Beverly D. Stakes, the Bruce D. (formerly the Secretariat) named after Duchossois’ late son, headline the Grade 1 racing program. Also on Saturday, the winner of Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga, led by Raging Bull (FR), will earn a free berth in to the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile.

 

Races in the rundown are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews, when available, can be found through the link for each race.

 

TVG will be broadcasting racing throughout the weekend from Del Mar, Delaware Park, Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park, Woodbine and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

 

“America’s Day at the Races” will be broadcasting live on Saturday, Aug. 14 on FS2 from 1-7:30 p.m.; and on Sunday, Aug. 15, on FS2 from 1-3 p.m.; on FS1 from 3-4 p.m. and on FS2  from 4-6:30 p.m.

 

Saturday, Aug. 14

 

 

5:12 p.m. ―$100,000 Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington Park

 

Eight 3-year-old fillies have been entered for Saturday’s Grade 3 Pucker Up going 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Let It Ride Stables’ Shesa Mystery has won two of four starts, and comes into the race off a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows on July 2. Trained by Jeff Hiles, Shesa Mystery will be ridden by Edgar Morales from post 6. Heider Family Stables’ Flown was in full flight down the stretch of the black type, 1 1/16-mile Hatoof Stakes at Arlington on July 17, but could not catch Core Values at the wire, finishing a head back in second as the 1-2 favorite. Trained by Brendan Walsh, and ridden from post 4 by Adam Beschizza, Flown finished third, beaten a length, in the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill Downs on May 29. Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Robert LaPenta’s Shantisara (IRE) finished second in the black type Boiling Springs Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 26 in her first start for trainer Chad Brown, after five races in France. Flavien Prat will ride from post 3.

 

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AP081421USA6-EQB.html

 

5:39 p.m. ―$200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite

 

First run in 1901, Saturday’s Grade 2 Saratoga Special drew a dozen 2-year-olds going 6 ½ furlongs. Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso’s Doctor Jeff is the 2-1 morning line favorite off a front-running 2 ¼-length maiden victory on July 10 at Belmont Park. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, Doctor Jeff will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 8. Rosario has a slight lead over Irad Ortiz Jr. in total purses won by North American jockeys this year with more than $16.1 million going into Friday’s races. He also leads all riders with 31 graded staked wins. Newly inducted Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher won the 2010 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver. For the Saratoga Special, Pletcher has entered Phoenix Thoroughbred III’s Double Thunder, a gray son of Super Saver who has won both his starts. After breaking his maiden at Monmouth in June, Double Thunder drew off to a 4 ¾-length victory in the Grade 3, 6-furlong Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs on June 26. John Velazquez will ride from post 7. Mark Detampel, Qatar Racing and Tim Banker’s Nakatomi is back on American soil after an eighth-place finish in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Javier Castellano from post 1, Nakatomi broke his maiden at Keeneland on April 14.

 

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR081421USA9-EQB.html

 

 

 

5:49 p.m. ―$400,000 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park

 

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerburg’s 3-year-old Santa Barbara (IRE) will take on six older fillies and mares in the Grade1, 1 3/16-mile Beverly D. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Santa Barbara was stuck behind a wall of horses and running out of ground in the Belmont Oaks on July 10, but managed to find room in deep stretch under jockey Ryan Moore to win by a half-length. Moore has the mount again on the bay daughter of Camelot (GB), breaking from post 4. Santa Barbara should find a formidable foe in Alex G. Campbell Jr.’s homebred Mean Mary. A winner seven times in 11 starts for trainer Graham Motion, the 5-year-old Mean Mary is two-for-two this year, taking the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico on May 16 and the Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont on June 4. Luis Saez rides the 9-5 morning line favorite from post 2. Trainer Chad Brown puts his extraordinary streak of five consecutive wins in this race on the line with Peter Brant’s 4-year-old filly Lemista (IRE). A four-time winner in Ireland, Lemista is looking for her first win this year after a second-place finish in Belmont’s Grade 3 Beaugay on May 8, and an eighth-place finish in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga on July 17. Flavien Prat rides Lemista from post 6.

 

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AP081421USA7-EQB.html

 

 

6:13 p.m. ―$500,000 Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga

 

The Chad Brown-trained duo of 9-5 morning line favorite 6-year-old Raging Bull (FR) and the 5-year-old mare Blowout (GB) lead eight entered in a very deep Grade 1 Fourstardave at 1 mile over Saratoga’s inner turf course. The race winner gains a “Win and You’re In” berth into the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile  Owned by Peter Brant, Raging Bull captured the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland in April to notch his seventh career win. In his most recent start, Raging Bull finished second to Oleksandra (AUS) by a head in the Grade 3 Poker at Belmont Park on June 20. Raging Bull finished fifth and second, respectively, in the last two editions of the Fourstardave. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides from post 1. Blowout breezed to an 8-length lead at the half-mile mark of the Grade 2 Longines Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs on May 1, and held on for a half-length win in her seasonal debut. Irad Ortiz Jr. will break from the rail aboard Blowout. My Racehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm’s 6-year-old mare Got Stormy won this race in 2019, defeating Raging Bull by 2 ½ lengths, and was second in the 2020 Fourstardave. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Got Stormy has 11 wins and more than $2.2 million in career earnings. She is one for three in 2021, taking the Grade 3 Honey Fox at Gulfstream Park in January. Got Stormy will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 6. Juddmonte’s Set Piece, trained by Brad Cox, has won his last three races, and came from well off the pace last out to score a half-length victory in the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 26. Florent Geroux has the mount from post 5. The Bill Mott-trained 5-year-old Casa Creed has won two straight and comes into the race off a Grade 1 victory in Belmont’s 6-furlong Jackpocket Jaipur Stakes on June 1. Junior Alvarado will ride from post 4.

 

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SAR081421USA10-EQB.html

 

6:28 p.m.  ―$300,000 Grade 1 Bruce D. Stakes at Arlington Park on FS2 and TVG

 

In his fourth start, Calumet Farm’s Tango Tango Tango broke his maiden in the listed Arlington Derby on July 17. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Tango Tango Tango is the 2-1 morning line favorite against eight 3-year-olds in the Grade 1 Bruce D. Stakes at 1 mile on turf. Tango Tango Tango, a son of 2016 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Tourist, will be ridden by Declan Cannon from post 2. Making just his third start, Ashbrook Farm’s Ginsburned won a 1-mile maiden special weight on July 25 at Ellis Park, coming from off the pace to score by 1 ¼ lengths. Julien Leparoux has the mount from post 4. Patricia Hope’s King of Miami is two-for-four for trainer Larry Rivelli. Winner of the listed Mystic Lake Stakes at Canterbury Park on June 23, King of Miami, a gelded son of American Pharoah, will be ridden by Jareth Loveberry from post 8.

 

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AP081421USA8-EQB.html

 

 

7:13 p.m. ―$600,000 Mr. D. Stakes at Arlington Park on FS2 and TVG

 

Ten horses are slated to start in the Mr. D. Stakes, which since 1981 ran as the Arlington Million. In 2019, Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence’s Bricks and Mortar won the race on his way to Horse of the Year honors. This year, Klaravich Stables has entered the 6-5 favored Domestic Spending (GB), the No. 4 ranked horse in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Trained by Chad Brown, who has won the last three editions of this race, Domestic Spending is six of seven, including victories in both of his starts this year. The 4-year-old gelding finished in a dead heat with Colonel Liam in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 1 and then captured the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park by 2 ¾ lengths on June 5. Flavien Prat rides from post 3.  Michael Hui’s 8-year-old Zulu Alpha, a winner of 12 races, finished fifth in the Grade 3 Arlington Stakes on July 17, which was his first start of 2021. Trained by Mike Maker, Zulu Alpha won three races last year, including the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. Luis Saez has the mount from post 5. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has won this race twice with Powerscourt (GB) in 2005 and Cape Blanco (IRE) in 2011. This year he brings over from Ireland Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s 4-year-old Armory (IRE), winner of the Group 2 Melodi Media Huxley Stakes at Chester in England on May 1, and third in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. Ryan Moore will ride Armory from post 5. Virginia Hope’s 5-year-old gelding Bizzee Channel won the Arlington Stakes by a neck over Wolfe Racing and Hugh Robertson’s Two Emmys. Trained by Larry Rivelli and ridden from post 8 by Jareth Loveberry, Bizzee Channel has won four races over the Arlington turf course.  The 5-year-old Two Emmys, trained by Robertson, has one win this year, and a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Muniz Classic Memorial Stakes at the Fair Grounds in March. James Graham has the mount from post 4.

 

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AP081421USA9-EQB.html

 

 

Sunday, Aug. 15

 

4.44 p.m. ―$175,000 King Edwards Stakes at Woodbine

 

The 5-year-old mare Jolie Olympica (BRZ) takes on seven male rivals in Sunday’s Grade 2 King Edward Stakes at 1 mile on turf at Woodbine. Trained by Josie Carroll, Jolie Olympica has won three graded stakes in the U.S. since arriving from Brazil, where she won the Group 1 Gran Premio Jockey Club in 2019. Jolie Olympica has won three graded stakes in North America, including a last-out score in the Grade 2 Nassau at Woodbine on July 24. Kazushi Kimura will ride Jolie Olympica from post 7. Carroll also has entered the 5-year-old Canadian-bred Avie’s Flatter, who won the July 18 Grade 2 Connaught Cup over the course by a neck. Luis Contreras has the mount from post 7. Live Oak Plantation’s March to the Arch, trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Patrick Husbands from post 3, is the defending champion. The 6-year-old has won eight races, including the black type Niagara Stakes at Woodbine on July 25. Casse is also starting Gary Barber’s 5-year-old gelding Olympic Runner, who was second in the Connaught Cup. Rafael Hernandez has the mount from post 2.

 

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO081521CAN8-EQB.html

 

8.51 p.m. ―$250,000 Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs

 

Eleven horses have been entered in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs near Seattle, and the second-place finishers from the last two editions ― Five Star General and Anyportinastorm ― should vie for favoritism. North American Thoroughbred Racing Company’s 5-year-old Five Star General, trained by Sandi Gann, a seven time winner, won a 1 1/16-mile  allowance prep at Hastings Park in Vancouver, B.C. in his previous start. Mario Gutierrez has the mount from post 8. The 7-year-old Anyportinastorm, trained by Peter Miller, in April won the black type Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate Fields and was recently fourth in the Oak Tree Sprint Stakes at Pleasanton. Juan Gutierrez has the mount from post 5. The Lusk Family’s 5-year-old Washington-bred gelding Papa’s Golden Boy has won his last three races at Emerald Downs, including the black type Governor’s Stakes on July 11. Trained by Vince Gibson, Papa’s Golden Boy will be ridden byJulien Couton from post. 1.

 

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/EMD081521USA8-EQB.html

 

 

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