Santin draws post 6 in Arlington Million, run for first time at Churchill

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Nine older horses led by Santin and Smooth Like Strait have been entered in the Grade 1 Arlington Million, which will be run Saturday for the first time at Churchill Downs.

Santin, winner of the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic on the May 7 Kentucky Derby undercard for Godolphin and locally based trainer Brendan Walsh, will break from post 6 in the Million, which has been shortened to 1 1/8 miles from its traditional 1 1/4-mile distance. The California shipper Smooth Like Strait, who has registered triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his last eight races, was assigned post 4.

Set Piece and Sacred Life are among the other main contenders in the Million, which was a mainstay at Arlington Park prior to the suburban Chicago track being shuttered last September by Churchill Downs Inc.

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From the inside out, this is the field for the $1 million race: Set Piece, Sacred Life, Field Pass, Smooth Like Strait, Megacity, Santin, Admission Office, Cavalry Charge, and Cellist.

The Million will be run as the last of 11 races on a Saturday card that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. Post time for the Million is 6:25.

The Million will be run over a Bermuda-hybrid turf course that has been problematic since it was first used April 30. There were widespread complaints by horsemen of loose footing and unusually large divots on the course, causing the track to shut it down following the fatal breakdown of a horse in a June 10 race. The Million and the preceding marquee event Saturday, the Grade 1 Beverly D. (race 5), will be the first races conducted over the course since then.

The Million will be run along the inside lanes, whereas the $500,000 Beverly D. will be run beforehand with a temporary inner rail set at 24 feet.

The Beverly D., which also has been shortened to 1 1/8 miles from its traditional 1 3/16 miles, drew just five fillies and mares. From the rail, they are Dalika, Family Way, Princess Grace, Rougir, and Lily Pond. Likely favorites are Rougir, from the powerhouse Chad Brown barn, and Princess Grace, a winner of seven of 11 career starts for trainer Michael Stidham.

The other nine Saturday races all will be run on the main track, including a pair of new $200,000 stakes, the Fort Larned and Lady Tak. Two turf stakes originally scheduled, the Grade 2 Secretariat and Grade 3 Pucker Up, both have been put on hiatus for a year in view of the problems with the turf course.

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Among the jockeys who will be in town for the day are John Velazquez, Manny Franco, Florent Geroux, and Tyler Gaffalione.

There is no rain in the local forecast for Saturday nor for the two preceding days. Full-day television coverage will be provided alternately on FS1 and FS2.

The Million program is a one-day-only event that briefly interrupts racing at Ellis in western Kentucky, where action will be held Friday and Sunday amid a 23-day meet that goes through Aug. 28.