Noble Mission possible starter in Arlington Million

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Noble Mission, one of the better older horses in Europe this season, is under consideration for the Arlington Million, Juddmonte Farms racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said Wednesday.

Juddmonte has a strong older U.S.-based grass horse in Seek Again, but trainer Bill Mott said this week that Seek Again might bypass the Million in favor of the Fourstardave at Saratoga since Juddmonte had another horse potentially pointed to the Million.

That would be Noble Mission, a 5-year-old brother to superstar Frankel who has hit peak form this season. Trained by Jane Cecil, Noble Mission has won 3 of 4 starts in 2014, capturing a pair of Group 3 stakes before beating Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Magician in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh. Noble Mission most recently started on June 29, leading every jump except the last couple, when he shortened stride and was overtaken by Spiritjim in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

That race came at 1 1/2 miles, and all Noble Mission’s potential upcoming targets are at 1 1/4 miles.

“Noble Mission could run in the Million, though we wouldn’t rule out Seek Again if Bill wanted to go there,” Grimthorpe said. “Seek Again’s schedule still is open to change to a certain extent. Noble Mission has a number of options, and we’re trying to get near the right one.”

Besides the Million, Noble Mission is being considered for the Aug. 20 Juddmonte International at York, the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen on July 27 at Munich, and the Irish Champion Stakes on Sept. 13.

Noble Mission began employing, with good success, a front-running style this season that could transfer well to American-style racing. One of his Group 3 wins this year came at Chester, a tight-turning left-handed course that more closely approximates American racetracks than many European racecourses.

While Grimthorpe said Juddmonte has no other possible European runners for the Million Day races, European export Riposte, trained by Mott, could be a Beverly D. candidate.

Our Channel may return for Secretariat

Our Channel, the American Derby runner-up, arrived back in England on Wednesday and could return for the Secretariat, trainer William Haggas said.

“It’s a possibility,” Haggas said. “He took the journey out extremely well. We thought about leaving him there, but we were committed. It will be the owner’s final decision.”

Our Channel is a free-running horse, and he contested a solid pace in the 1 3/16-mile American Derby before being passed in the final furlong by Divine Oath.

“My personal view was that he was weakest the last bit, and over another furlong further the winner would win easier. That was my reading of it,” he said. “For a European horse he was very green over there, though, so I think he could a lot smarter horse next time, but there are other options, too.”

Nikki’s Sandcastle retired

The 7-year-old gelding Nikki’s Sandcastle, a multiple graded stakes winner, has been retired after fracturing a sesamoid while finishing second in the Firecracker Stakes on June 28 at Churchill, trainer Dave Kassen said.

Nikki’s Sandcastle initially appeared to have come out of the race in good order, according to Kassen, but he was lame the following morning, and radiographs revealed the injury. Stall rest, and not surgery, will be required to heal the injury.

“At his age, it would be too late to try and bring him back,” Kassen said.

Nikki’s Sandcastle has a good disposition, and Kassen said he could be used as a riding horse.

Bred and owned by Richard Sherman, Nikki’s Sandcastle is one of the best racehorses sired by Castledale. He is retired with a career record of 41-10-10-6 and earnings of $694,318.

Chief Barker euthanized

Chief Barker, a 3-year-old purchased privately last year and imported from England, was euthanized after fracturing his leg during the running of the American Derby last Saturday, according to trainer Larry Rivelli.

Chief Barker took a bad step during the race, was pulled up, and was taken off the course in a horse ambulance.

St. Louis City lone speed in Friday feature

The Friday feature here comes early, in race 1, a high-end, seven-furlong Polytrack allowance restricted to fillies and mares and also open to $100,000 claimers.

St. Louis City is slightly suspect at a distance that far, but if, as seems possible, she opens a clear lead and dictates a moderate tempo, she might prove difficult to catch. Goldway and Drama Drama are the main threats.

◗ St. Louis City’s owner and trainer, Bill Stiritz and Scott Becker, sent out Card to win the third race on July 13, a second-level allowance, by more than four lengths, and his winning time of 1:10.35 for six furlongs on Polytrack produced a Beyer Speed Figure of 104, the highest synthetic-surface Beyer in North America so far this year.