The Aug. 11 $1-million GI Arlington Million anchors Arlington Park's 22-strong stakes schedule worth $3,700,000. Opening on May 4, the highlight of the 71-day meet is the International Festival of Racing Aug. 11, where in addition to the 1 1/4-mile Million, Arlington will also conduct the 1 3/16-mile $600,000 GI Beverly D. S. for fillies and mares and the 1 1/4-mile $400,000 GI Secretariat S. for sophomores. Both the Million and the Beverly D are part of the “Win And You're In” Breeders' Cup challenge series.
Earlier in the season, the Chicago track will host the Ride to the Million July 12, a trio of grassy Million Day preps worth $100,000 each: the GIII Arlington H. (Million), the GIII Modesty H. (Beverly D) and the GIII American Derby (Secretariat). The first three horses across the finish line July 12 will have their entry fees waived for their Festival Day's equivalents. The 1 1/2-mile $100,000 GIII Stars and Stripes S. and 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Hatoof S. are also slated for the grass on July 12.
Other stakes events on the calendar are: the May 12 one-mile $100,000 GIII Hanshin Cup, the May 26 1 1/16-mile $100,000 GIII Arlington Classic, the 1 1/8 GIII Arlington Matron May 19 and the June 23 GIII Chicago H. The latter two races, each worth $100,000, were held at Churchill Downs in 2017. Both the Arlington-Washington Futurity for juveniles and the Arlington-Washington Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, will be the last stakes of the meet Sept. 8.
“We are very excited for the upcoming meet,” said Arlington racing secretary Chris Polzin. “The Arlington International Festival of Racing has always been a highly regarded international event and a major springboard to the Breeders' Cup World Championships for some of the best turf horses in the world. We hope to attract such horses this year the way that we have in years past. We are equally as excited to bring back the Chicago H. and Arlington Matron. Both races have proven to be competitive events when hosted here and have attracted quality horses from other circuits, so we are confident that we will continue to receive that support this year.”
For the complete schedule, go to www.arlingtonpark.com.
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