7 international horses are ticketed for Arlington Million day

Continuing to establish a firm foothold in U.S. racing, England-based Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby is expected to enter three-time graded-stakes winner Nations Pride next month in the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs in Virginia.

The 5-year-old horse would be Appleby’s first starter in the Million since 2018, when the 1 1/4-mile turf race still was being run at its original Chicagoland home.

Click here for Colonial Downs entries and results.

Ancient Rome, who won for trainer Charlie Hills in the 2023 Mint Millions (G3) at Kentucky Downs, is expected to return to America for the Arlington Million. Racing in the colors of owner Fitri Hay, the 5-year-old War Front horse placed second July 13 in a Group 2 race at Ascot.

With some coming by way of America, seven probable entries from Europe for the Aug. 10 card at Colonial were listed by Adrian Beaumont of the International Racing Bureau, the longtime U.K.-based liaison for the Million. The IRB provides a bridge between America’s racetracks and Europe’s horsemen.

Nations Pride, who won the 2022 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1), the 2022 Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3) and the 2023 Canadian International (G1), leads Appleby’s six horses who are expected to line up in five stakes at Colonial. The son of Teofilo finished second last month to Measured Time in the Manhattan (G1) at Saratoga.

Cinderella’s Dream, a 3-year-old who won the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) on July 6 at Aqueduct, and English Rose, a 4-year-old who was second in the Jenny Wiley (G1) during the Keeneland spring, are ticketed to represent Godolphin and Appleby in the $500,000 Beverly D. (G2), a 1 1/8-mile grass test for fillies and mares 3 years old and up.

Musical Act, a Dark Angel gelding who finished fifth in his U.S. debut April 5 in the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland, is likely to go for Appleby in the $500,000 Secretariat (G2) for 3-year-olds going a mile on the turf.

Mischief Magic, a 4-year-old gelding who wound up fifth in the Jaipur (G1) last month at Saratoga, is a probable starter for Appleby in the $150,000 Van Clief. His stablemate Star Guest, a 4-year-old filly who came in third as the favorite in a listed stakes May 4 at Newmarket, will make her first U.S. start in the $150,000 Andy Guest for fillies and mares. Those two sprints will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

Although Coolmore and trainer Aidan O’Brien’s team were frequent visitors to the Million during its heyday at the now torn-down Arlington Park, Beaumont said he did not expect them to have any horses on the Colonial card next month.

“Aidan has put a couple in,” Beaumont said, “but because they are running in Saratoga the week before, I don’t think they will run (in Virginia).”

The close of business Wednesday is the deadline to nominate horses for the Colonial Downs festival of racing. The stakes also include a pair of dirt-track events. The $100,000 Petramalo Mile will be for 3-year-olds racing a mile, and the $100,000 Penny Chenery named for the late owner of Secretariat is for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. Entries for the Aug. 10 card will be taken Aug. 3.

This is the second consecutive year the Million will be run at Colonial. Started in 1981 as the world’s first $1 million Thoroughbred race, it was run all but once at Arlington Park until the track was closed in 2021 and subsequently sold by Churchill Downs Inc. to the Chicago Bears. It was moved to Woodbine for one running in 1988, not run at all in 1998, 1999 and 2020 and staged once at Churchill Downs in 2022.