Aga Khan Might Send Pair to Secretariat

While the probable American contingent for the Grade I Secretariat at Arlington International Racecourse have long been known, its European counterpart continues to develop into what could be a complex and competitive team of trans-Atlantic invaders. Chief among those raiders is a duo from the expansive and powerful His Highness the Aga Khan stable. The mostly French- and Irish-based operation has proven it can get the job done before when shipping Alain de Royer-Dupré-trained BAYRIR to Arlington to win the International Festival of Racing feature in 2012 and must be respected if it chooses to bring one or both of its charges.

Consistent Grade I-placed CANNDAL has long been expected to run in the $450,000 event, especially after his rail-skimming runner-up finish in the Grade I Belmont Derby Invitational last out at Belmont Park in his U. S. debut. Shipped back to France to the yard of trainer Mikel Delzangles to prepare for a possible second American assault, the son of Medicean – the same sire as Bayrir – appears to be on the improve. In six career starts, he has yet to finish worse than fourth and has displayed a liking for both the Secretariat’s 1¼-miles distance and the fast ground he is likely to receive on this side of the pond.

This past weekend, the Group II Prix Eugene Adam took place at Maisons-Laffitte in France – a Festival Free Roll event allowing its winner automatic entry into the Secretariat. Contested over the same 10-furlong trip, it featured a fine showing by two Secretariat possibles – Joseph Allen’s Jean-Claude Rouget-trained runner-up (and 13-8 post-time favorite) WAR DISPATCH and The Aga Khan’s DARIYAN, from the same yard as Bayrir, who won impressively by 1½ lengths under Christophe Soumillon.

Dariyan, like his aforementioned stablemate, has continued to improve in his five lifetime trips to the post. Second on debut in April at Longchamp going 10 furlongs, he won next out at Saint-Cloud at the same trip and then again over that same course going 1½ miles. His fourth start and Group debut resulted in a fourth-place finish as the favorite in Group III company at Chantilly – one race before returning to form and taking the Eugene Adam.

At first guess, one could assume that Canndal is the more likely of the two, especially with his penchant for firm turf and Dariyan’s two victories being over soft and good going. Still, with de Royer-Dupré’s established success, it is difficult to presume that he will not take another shot at the race. In either case, if both Aga Khan sophomores enter, regular pilot (for both) Soumillon will have to choose between the two.

The aforementioned War Dispatch is still considered very possible for the Secretariat, according to the knowledgeable associates at the International Racing Bureau. Bred to relish fast ground, the Group I French Derby-placed son of Allen’s top sire War Front out of an Unbridled’s Song mare has yet to have an opportunity to compete over firmer going after an eight-race career that includes six all-weather races and two over good-to-soft ground.

As mentioned in previous Road to the Millions, undefeated international melting pot of a colt GOLDSTREAM is being aimed toward the Secretariat in hopes of emulating Coolmore’s 2014 victor Adelaide and parlaying a Chicago victory into a Group I Cox Plate win Down Under. Owned by Australians, trained by German Andreas Wohler and campaigned in Italy, the Group II Italian Derby-winning son of Martino Alonso could bring the most intriguing story line into the International Festival of Racing.

The possibles list on the American side, at this point, is headed by Belmont Derby winner FORCE THE PASS, multiple stakes winner DIVISIDERO and Grade III American Derby one-two WORLD APPROVAL and CRITTENDEN.

Source: Arlington Park