O'Brien plots Arlington raid

Seven European challengers for the three Grade 1 races at Arlington Park on Aug. 9 were confirmed by the International Racing Bureau on Monday. They will be headed by two from the white-hot Ballydoyle yard of trainer Aidan O'Brien, who will send over Mount Nelson for the Arlington Million and Plan for the Secretariat Stakes.

The winner of the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at the Million distance on July 5, Mount Nelson was also a Group 1 winner going a mile as a 2-year-old in Saint-Cloud's Criterium International. He will travel from Ireland with Secretariat Stakes hopeful Plan, a Kentucky-bred son of Storm Cat and Spain who beat older horses last time in the 1 1/8-mile Group 3 International Stakes at the Curragh.

Mount Nelson will be joined in the Million by the Mike de Kock-trained Archipenko. A Kingmambo 4-year-old formerly trained by O'Brien, Archipenko has won Group 2 miles at Nad Al Sheba and Ascot this year as well as the 1 1/4-mile Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong. Spirit One, trained in France by Philippe Demerastel and a Group 3 winner at 1 1/4 miles this year, completes Europe's Million trio.

Winchester, a Dermot Weld-trained son of Theatrical owned by Bert Firestone, will also go in the Secretariat, while the Beverly D. has attracted the consistent Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Cicerole and Toque de Queda, a 4-year-old daughter of Dansili from the French stable of Mikael Delzangles.