List of possible Arlington Million 2018 contenders growing
Trainer Kelly Rubley is considering a return to Arlington International Racecourse in the Grade 1 Arlington Million on Aug. 11 for Gunpowder Farms’ Grade 3 Arlington Handicap winner Divisidero. Rubley, who has conditioned the 6-year-old since he transferred to her barn last winter, earned her first graded stakes victory with his win Saturday.
“We wouldn’t rule it out,” said Rubley. “I think he’s continued to show improvement this year.”
Divisidero contributed to a banner day for his sire, Kitten's Joy, whose progeny Roaring Lion took the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park in England just hours prior. Kitten’s Joy stands at Hill ‘N’ Dale Stud for $60,000.
The Arlington Handicap was Divisidero’s first win since last May and his fifth stakes victory. As a 3-year-old he racked up a pair of wins in Churchill Downs’ Grade 2 American Turf and the Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park. The following year, he took the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, which he would go on to win for the second year in a row during his 5-year-old campaign.
Arlington Handicap second-place finisher Revved Up will go through the ring in Fasig-Tipton’s Summer Selects Horses of Racing Age Sale, where he will be consigned by Claiborne Farm and is listed as Hip 504.
Meanwhile, trainer Mike Stidham is not likely to point two-time graded stakes winner Synchrony to the Million after he finished third as the beaten favorite in the Arlington Handicap.
Trainer Graham Motion is still considering the Arlington Million for Augustin Stable’s Spring Quality, who breezed six furlongs in 1:14.00 on Friday morning over the turf at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. The son of Quality Road was an upset winner against a contentious field in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont last time out, which featured 2017 Grade I Arlington Million winner Beach Patrol.
“He worked six furlongs and did it nicely,” Motion said. “The race is still a ways off but I’m very happy with how he’s been.”
Other possible Arlington Million contenders include Oscar Performance, Yoshida (JPN), Benbatl, Lord Glitters (IRE), Va Bank (IRE), Manitoulin, Robert Bruce (CHI) and Almanaar.