Europe not sending its best for Arlington Million card

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – It does not appear to be an especially memorable group of Europeans headed to Arlington for the Million card on Aug. 11.

The overseas contingent is in flux, but even adding unlikely runners to the list of those expected to ship does not lead to a trove of gems. The International Racing Bureau, which coordinates overseas shipping to the Million Day races, lists only Deauville and Circus Couture as intended Million runners as of Thursday.

Deauville finished a close second in the 2017 Million but has failed to progress since. Aidan O’Brien trains Deauville and is considering a pair of fillies – Hydrangea and Rhododendron – for the Million. Hydrangea was to race Saturday in the King George Stakes at Ascot, while Rhododendron is expected to start Wednesday in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Circus Couture, trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, is a 6-year-old who most recently finished seventh in the Group 2 Summer Mile. At his peak, he was a solid Group 2 performer – but that peak came in 2015 and 2016.

Brorocco and Thundering Bank were to start as longshots in the Group 2 York Stakes on Saturday, and the connections of both horses have inquired about the Million.

O’Brien also is expected to have runners in the card’s other two Grade 1’s, the Beverly D. and the Secretariat. Hydrangea and Rhododendron are among four possible O’Brien runners in the Beverly D., along with Belmont Oaks winner Athena and Magic Wand, the winner of the Epsom Oaks. Nyaleti, who won the German 1000 Guineas and most recently was fourth behind Alpha Centauri in the Group 1 Falmouth, is expected to ship for trainer Mark Johnston.

O’Brien also will choose some combination of four horses for the Secretariat: Hunting Horn, Rostropovich, Lucius Tiberius, and Threeandfourpence. Perhaps even more interesting is that O’Brien’s son Joseph is set to have his first Arlington starter – and first American runner outside the Breeders’ Cup – in the Secretariat, which he’s targeting with Ming.

Platinum Warrior, who is a fairly serious colt, also is expected to start in the Secretariat. Platinum Warrior late this spring defeated Latrobe, who returned to win the Irish Derby.