First Look: 3 Arlington G1 stakes lead weekend calendar

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Saturday is being promoted as Arlington Million Day at the Chicago-area track, even though the race itself has a new name and a smaller purse.

The day will feature three Grade 1 races: The Mister D. (formerly the Arlington Million, now with a $600,000 purse), the Beverly D. and the Bruce D. (formerly the Secretariat Stakes).

Meanwhile, Saratoga takes a bit of a breather this weekend, with only two graded stakes on the calendar: the Fourstardave (G1) and the Saratoga Special (G2) a sprint for 2-year-olds.

Here is an early look at the likely fields for this weekend's graded stakes.

Saturday

Mister D (G1), Arlington, 1 1/4 miles (turf), 3-year-olds and up

Domestic Spending would be the clear favorite here. His wins this year in the Manhattan (G1) and Turf Classic (G1) followed a 5-month layoff after he won the Hollywood Derby (G1) in November. Bizzee Channel's win in the Arlington Stakes (G3) was his first graded-stakes victory and second straight win. Zulu Alpha returns to Grade 1 company after finishing fifth in the Arlington Stakes, which was his first start after a 10-month layoff.

Bruce D. (G1), Arlington, 1 mile (turf), 3-year-olds

Tango Tango Tango's win in the listed American Derby was his first victory after three tries in maiden special weight races. The last graded-stakes start for Therideofalifetime was a fourth-place finish in the Iroquois (G3) on the 2020 Kentucky Derby undercard. King of Miami is an American Pharoah colt making his first-graded stakes start.

Beverly D. (G1), Arlington, 1 3/16 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Mean Mary, winner of the New York (G2) and the Gallorette (G3) in her only starts this year, looks for her first Grade 1 victory. European import Santa Barbara's win over Con Lima in the Belmont Oaks (G1) was her first U.S. start. Lemista is another European import but has failed to win in her two U.S. starts.

Pucker Up (G3), Arlington, 1 1/8 miles (turf), 3-year-old fillies

Oyster Box has not raced since her fourth-place finish in the May 29 Regret (G3) but has been working well at Fair Hill, with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01 on Saturday. Serene graduated with an 8 1/2-length win in a maiden race last month – her only start since finishing fifth in maiden company last September. Flown was third in the Regret and lost by a head in the black-type Hatoof Stakes last out.

Fourstardave Handicap (G1), Saratoga, 1 mile (turf), 3-year-olds and up

Set Piece's win in the Wise Dan (G2) was his third win in a row. Raging Bull's loss by a head in the Poker (G3) followed a win in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1). Rinaldi's win in the Forbidden Apple (G3) was his first graded-stakes score. The Fourstardave offers a fees-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Saratoga Special (G2), Saratoga, 6 1/2 furlongs, 2-year-olds

Gunite beat a field of 12 in breaking his maiden on third try in June. High Oak, Sonnyisnotsofunny, Midnight Worker, Doctor Jeff all are 1-for-1. Glacial's third-place finish in the Bashford Manor (G3) came after he graduated on debut in May.

Sunday

Longacres Mile (G3), Emerald Downs, 1 mile, 3-year-olds and up

Anyportinastorm won his first start of the year in the black-type Lost in the Fog Stakes but is 0-for-2 since. Five Star General has two allowance wins in three starts this year. Majestic Eagle will look for his first win of the year after finishing second in the Wickerr, fourth in the American (G3) and second in the Daytona (G3).

Probable entries were not available for the King Edward Stakes (G2), a one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up at Woodbine on Sunday.