Million Noms Dominate Prince of Wales's

The three Grade I Arlington Million nominees in the Group I Prince of Wales’s Wednesday afternoon at Royal Ascot finished first, second and fourth to dominate the star-studded field.  Sir Andrew Lloyed Webber’s The Fugue showed a marked return to form with an impressive 1¾-length victory over fellow Million nominee Magician in course record time.  The win was especially gratifying as it was a reversal of the finish in last year’s Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf, in which Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. Tom Magnier’s Magician ran down the favored The Fugue in the closing strides.

Third behind the top two was race favorite and dominant 2013 Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Treve and Shadwell’s Million nominee Mukhadram, who was making his first start since a solid second in the Group I Dubai World Cup.  The remainder of the phenomenal field included the likes of Grade I Beverly D. winner Dank (fifth), as well as the highly regarded Group I winner Parish Hall.

South African trainer Mike De Kock, who trained The Apache to cross the wire first in last year’s Million, has reported that Group I winner Vercingetorix is on the fence for the Million.  Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum’s lightly raced bay son of 2001 Million champ Silvano is coming off a strenuous trip to Hong Kong, where he finished a good third in the Group I Queen Elizabeth II Cup – one race after finishing a driving second in the Group I Dubai Duty Free.  He has since been recovering at De Kock’s northern hemisphere base in Newmarket, England, and his connections are hoping he can rejuvenate in time to make the American pilgrimage.

Pearl Bloodstock’s 7-year-old warrior Side Glance, a solid third in last year’s Million after a troubled trip, ran a dull ninth in the Group I Queen Anne Stakes for trainer Andrew Balding over a testing mile, but remains possible for a return trip to the United States.  The tough gelding has made a habit of competing against the best in the world over the last few seasons and this year has run credibly in both the Dubai World Cup (fourth) and Group I Singapore Airlines International Cup (fifth) – both 10-furlong events.  A bona fide globetrotter, the son of Passing Glance took the Group I Mackinnon Stakes in Australia at the same distance last fall.