Arlington expands list of qualifiers for three major turf stakes

Arlington Park on Tuesday announced an expansion of a program that qualifies winners of selected races for free berths into its three Grade 1 turf races, the Million, the Beverly D., and the Secretariat Stakes, for 2011. Entry and starting fees in 2010 totaled $15,000 for the Million, $10,000 for the Beverly D., and $8,000 for the Secretariat.

The so-called “Festival Free Pass” covered three overseas races in 2010, but 10 such races will be in eligible in 2011. The winner of five different races – the Premio Presidente della Repubblica at Capannelle in Rome, the Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp, the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in Ireland, the Coral-Eclipse at England’s Sandown Park, and the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich in Germany – will automatically qualify for the Million, and have their entry and starting fees waived.

The winner in two races – the Totesport.com Middleton Stakes at York in England, and a race to be named later – will have pre-entry and entry fees waived for the Beverly D. Four more European contests – the Dee Stakes at the Chester Spring Festival in England, the Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh, the Bavarian Classic at Munich, and the Prix Eugene Adam at Maisons-Laffitte – have been linked to the Secertariat Stakes.

The Beverly D. and Secretariat qualifiers are eligible to use their “free pass” for the Million, as well.

A free pass into the Secretariat also will be offered to the winner of the Virginia Derby in 2011, and Arlington will continue its practice of waiving entry and starting fees for the top three finishers in the three turf stakes on Million Preview Day.