Gabriel Charles Confirmed for Arlington Million

“He’s a phenomenal horse,” Mullins said from his California base. “He’s a gentleman and a pleasure to be around; a real professional. God willing, he stays healthy and keeps improving for us. Right now he’s doing good and he’ll get another breeze (Sunday). If he comes out of that and a breeze next Sunday okay, we plan on shipping out (for the Million).”

 

The Eddie Read was only the third race off a layoff of 17 months between November 2013 and April 2015. As a sophomore in 2013, the bay charge won the Grade II $250,000 Del Mar Derby and was second in both the Grade II $150,000 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita and the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar. In 11 career starts, the Kentucky-bred has a 4-4-1 record and earnings of $584,400. His effort in the Eddie Read earned him a lofty 121 Equibase Speed Figure.

 

“He had a tendon issue and all the credit goes to the owners for letting me take my time with him,” Mullins explained. “It’s just amazing to have him back, period. To have him show he’s as good as he was before he got injured is just a blessing.”

 

Mullins confirmed that Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who was aboard for the Eddie Read and Twilight Derby, has the return call in the Million.

 

 

Racing officials at Arlington International Racecourse and the International Racing Bureau have confirmed that Papillon Stables’ Bookrunner will be aimed for the 33^rd running of the Grade I $1,000,000 Arlington Million on Aug. 15. Trained by Mikel Delzangles, the son of Tiznow will be making a homecoming to his country of birth following a third-place finish in the Group III $89,000 Prix Messidor at Maisons-Laffitte on July 5.

 

Bookrunner is one of two intended runners at the International Festival of Racing for Delzangles. The talented French-based conditioner also plans to run His Highness the Aga Khan’s Canndal, who exits a second in the Grade I $1,250,000 Belmont Derby Invitiational, in the Grade I $450,000 Secretariat Stakes earlier on the card.

 

Bookrunner is out of the Grade I-placed Chester House mare Take the Ribbon, who won the Grade III $150,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile during her career. He has won three of his six career starts, including two allowance events in a row prior to the Messidor. His only other run in stakes company was a fourth – by a head in a blanket finish – last year in the Group III Prix Djebel at Maisons Laffitte.

 

 

 

Al Shahania Racing’s multiple stakes winner Pirate’s Trove signaled her readiness for her 4-year-old debut when zipping a bullet half-mile in :46 flat Saturday morning for trainer Mike Stidham.

 

The two most impressive 2-year-old maiden winners of the meet, William Stiritz’s Shogood and Ike and Dawn Thrash and Sam and Janet Alley’s Amira J both worked Saturday morning. Shogood worked a half-mile in :47.40 for trainer Scott Becker, while Amira J easily negotiated five panels in 1:00.20 for conditioner Mike Stidham.

 

Lothenbach Stables’ graded stakes-placed 3-year-old colt Nun the Less worked five furlongs in 1:02 flat for trainer Chris Block in advance of an expected start in the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby on Aug. 23.