Buick, Spencer Eye Arlington Million History at Colonial Downs

Host of Sport’s Top Jocks set to flock to New Kent for share of $2.5 million purses

New Kent, Va (Aug. 6, 2024) — True to its history, the 2024 Grade 1 Arlington Million and traditional companion stakes slated for Saturday’s Festival of Racing Day on August 10 at Colonial Downs will bring an influx of top riders to New Kent, including international titans William Buick and Jamie Spencer. Each has a chance to earn his second Million tally and thus tie the record for most wins in the 1¼-miles turf race.
Frankie Dettori, John Velazquez, Brian Hernandez Jr., Jose Ortiz, Julien Leparoux, and Javier Castellano will all be in town to ride, and each can boast their share of successes in the Million, Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D, and Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat.

When Florent Geroux piloted Set Piece to victory in the 2023 Million, he tied the record as only the eighth jockey to take the event twice. This year it’s Buick and Spencer’s turn to try. Set to ride Nations Pride and Ancient Rome, respectively, Buick and Spencer will be riding to join the exclusive list of two-time winners that includes Jerry Bailey, Laffit Pincay Jr., Irad Ortiz, Cash Asmussen, Gary Stevens, Jose Santos, and Ramon Dominguez.
In the 2010 Million, just five years into his professional career, Buick gave a highlight reel ride to Debussy, patiently waiting out traffic before producing the John Gosden trainee up the rail where leader Gio Ponti never saw him coming. The very next year it was Spencer’s turn to deny Gio Ponti, making a brilliant early move into a slow pace aboard Cape Blanco and earning Aidan O’Brien his encore Million victory.

Aboard for both Sistercharlie’s Beverly D titles (2018 and 2019), John Velazquez can tie Ryan Moore and Kent Desormeaux for the most wins in the event. This year he has the mount on Mission of Joy, one of three he is named to ride for trainer Graham Motion, along with Highland Chief in the Million and Trikari in the Secretariat. With his mount on Trikari, Velazquez will be riding for his second win in the Secretariat (Carrick 2018).
Castellano won last year’s Secretariat aboard Gigante, his record-tying third victory in the turf event for 3-year-olds now contested over one mile. On that same day he piloted Fev Rover, with whom he will reunite on Saturday, as she attempts to defend her title for trainer Mark Casse.

With the call on Brilliant Berti, morning line favorite in the Secretariat, Brian Hernandez Jr. will look to add another big win to a storybook year that includes winning both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. In 2022, the Louisiana-native won the Beverly D with Dalika. Hernandez also has calls in the $150,000 Van Clief and $150,000 Andy Guest.
In 2017, Jose Ortiz guided Oscar Performance to the Secretariat winner’s circle. He is scheduled to ride in four of Saturday’s seven stakes: Talk of the Nation (Arlington Million), Moira (morning line favorite in the Beverly D), General Ledger (Secretariat); Caratori (Van Clief).
Leparoux scored the 2007 Secretariat piloting Shamdinan (Fr). Named to ride Rock’n a Halo on Saturday for Tom Amoss, he’ll have a chance to do it again. In the Million, he will leg up on Sugoi for Mike Maker.
Frankie Dettori is set to ride First World War in the Secretariat and Neecie Marie in the Beverly D., which he won in 2004 aboard Godolphin’s Crimson Palace.

First post for Colonial Downs Festival of Racing 12-race program is 1 p.m. ET. With seven added- money events on the card, stakes action begins in Race 5 with the $100,000 Petramalo Mile and concludes in the 11th with the Arlington Million.