The Corsican Now Aimed at Arlington Million

Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s The Corsican scratched from the Group I $1,652,000 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse today in England and will now aim directly toward the Grade I $1,000,000 Arlington Million on Aug. 15, according to the International Racing Bureau. Citing the softer ground, the David Simcock trainee will enter the Million with hopes of firmer ground for connections that have proven success over the Chicagoland oval.

 

While Simcock won the Grade I Beverly D. in 2012 with I’m a Dreamer, Hay was part-owner of Grade I Secretariat Stakes winner Treasure Beach and Million victor Cape Blanco – both in 2011. The likely plan, as well, is to come two-pronged in her 2015 Arlington attack. Hay’s Scotland, an Andrew Balding trainee, is probable to be entered in the Grade III $350,000 American St. Leger on the Million undercard – one of the four races comprising the International Festival of Racing.

 

Lightly raced, The Corsican exits the best effort of his career when a game fourth in the Group I $822,000 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting last out on June 17. A winner of his three preceding races against considerably softer company, he has flourished at Million’s 1¼-miles distance. Getting better with each event, his Official Rating – according to the British Horseracing Authority – has progressed with a pattern of 82-86-93-101-111 in his previous five efforts.

 

In seven career starts, the 4-year-old bay son of Galileo has four wins and a third, with roughly $143,800 in earnings.