HorseCenter: Arlington Million and remembering Maple Leaf Mel

This week on HorseCenter, your hosts Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman look back at the racing career and tragic ending of the sensational Maple Leaf Mel. Your hosts also handicap the Arlington Million and Beverly D., a pair of Grade 1 turf races from Colonial Downs.

The Arlington Million moved to its new home at Colonial Downs and drew a wide-open field of 11 that will go 1 1/4 miles on the turf. Atone, the winner of the Pegasus World Cup Turf was named the lukewarm 7-2 morning line favorite. Chad Brown and Mark Casse each have a pair of horses in the field.

The Beverly D is for older females on the grass course going 1 3/16 miles. A field of seven was drawn and once again neither of the Chad Brown horses in the favorite. Mark Casse’s Fev Rover is the 2-1 top choice on the morning line based on her third in the Diana (G1) Stakes at Saratoga along with two Grade 2 victories at Woodbine.

The top picks from Matt and Brian include four horses, and none of them are favored. Enjoy the show and, as always, thanks for watching.