Pre-entries suggest that Arlington Million Day fields will be strong

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Thirteen horses were pre-entered Friday in next Saturday’s Arlington Million, and the race looks deeper and more competitive than it’s been in years.

The pre-entrants, in alphabetical order, are Ascend, Beach Patrol, Deauville, Divisidero, Enterprising, Fanciful Angel, Ghost Hunter, Kasaqui, Mekhtaal, Oak Brook, Oscar Nominated, Scottish, and The Pizza Man. Six of those horses are Grade 1 winners, and two more have placed in Grade 1 races. Kasaqui and Deauville finished second and third in the 2016 Million, and The Pizza Man won it in 2015. Mekhtaal is a very dangerous French shipper, and Divisidero, on his day, is as capable as anyone.

Ten fillies and mares were pre-entered in the Beverly D.: Dacita, Dona Bruja, Grand Jete, Hawksmoor, Kitten’s Roar, Prado’s Sweet Ride, Rain Goddess, Rainha Da Bateria, Sarandia, and Zipessa. That is a very strong bunch, and favoritism could go in a number of directions, though Dona Bruja has really caught the eye in her two wins this year since being imported from Argentina. Rain Goddess is an Aidan O’Brien-trained progressive 3-year-old filly, while Sarandia, based in Germany with Peter Schiergen, is the only other overseas shipper.

Afandem, Frostmourne, Gorgeous Kitten, Oscar Performance, Permian, Sonic Boom, and Taj Mahal are the seven 3-year-olds pre-entered in the Grade 1 Secretariat. Oscar Performance is the leading 3-year-old turf horse in North America (though the connections of Hall of Fame Stakes winner Bricks and Mortar probably are itching for a fight), but with dedicated front-runner Sonic Boom also entered, Oscar Performance is unlikely to steal off to the comfortable lead he established in winning the Belmont Derby in his most recent race. Frostmourne crushed lesser rivals in the Kent Stakes last out, while the two Europeans, Permian for trainer Mark Johnston and Taj Mahal for O’Brien, are serious contenders. Short field notwithstanding, this also is a strong race.

The $250,000 American St. Leger drew only eight pre-entrants, none of them from overseas. The horses pre-entered are Alpha Warrior, Applicator, Bullards Alley, Crewman, Keystoneforvictory, Postulation, Taghleeb, and Tobias.

Final entries for the three Grade 1 races and the American St. Leger are due Tuesday, when post positions will be drawn and the fields announced, but steep pre-entry fees mean the horses who are pre-entered are likely to run if physically able. The rest of Saturday’s card, however, won’t be drawn until Wednesday.