BURNHAM SQUARE CONTINUES TURF RISE IN GRADE 1 ARLINGTON MILLION

Louisville Stakes winner Burnham Square steps up to Grade 1 company for the Saturday, Aug. 1 running of the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs.
Photo credit: Coady Media

Photo credit: Coady Media

NEW KENT, Va. (July 28, 2026) — Burnham Square has emerged as one of the nation’s top turf horses since making the switch to grass following his 2025 Triple Crown campaign. Last year’s Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes winner will look to continue that progression in Saturday’s Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs.

The 4-year-old Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred enters the 1¼-mile Arlington Million riding a three-race winning streak after victories in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes, Grade 3 Louisville Stakes and Listed Chorleywood Stakes. Trained by Ian Wilkes, Burnham Square has earned more than $2.2 million and will face defending champion Fort Washington and a field of accomplished Grade 1 performers in Colonial Downs’ signature turf event.

Wilkes said each victory has helped prepare Burnham Square for his first Grade 1 start on the turf. He uncorked a devastating late rally to dominate the 1½-mile Elkhorn at Keeneland by 9¾ lengths before drawing off by 4¾ lengths in the Louisville at Churchill Downs.

“The good thing about it is he won the Elkhorn easily, even though he had a rough trip—stop, start, all over the place,” Wilkes said. “Then in the Louisville, he got the perfect trip and won easily.”

The Chorleywood became a match race after Burnham Square took the lead from Chapman’s Peak in the opening stages, only for Chapman’s Peak to edge back in front in upper stretch before Burnham Square fought back to prevail by a neck.

“Then we came to the Chorleywood, and we ended up on the front end because there was no speed,” Wilkes said. “I’m actually glad he had to dig in a little bit, because when things come to you too easily, you can become complacent. You want to see them handle a little adversity, dig in and show they’re willing to fight. I was very pleased with that.”

Each race has asked Burnham Square a different question, and each answer has convinced the veteran horseman that his gelding is still getting better.

“He’s a very cocky horse,” Wilkes said. “He’s very confident in himself. He’s got a lot of little quirks about him, and he’s cocky with it. If he were a colt, you’d definitely know about it. Thank God he’s a gelding—but he’s still a little quirky.”

One area where Wilkes has noticed significant improvement is shipping.

“He’s probably a little ahead of schedule because he’s handled the shipping really well this year,” Wilkes said. “Last year, he wasn’t very behaved when shipping. He still ran well, but he wasn’t the best shipper. He’s much better now, and the last trip (ahead of the Chorleywood) was his best.”

Wilkes credits some of that improvement to Burnham Square’s traveling companion, a young goat named Messi.

“We got him a little goat that travels with him now,” Wilkes said. “Normally, he’d get in the van and kick the crap out of it the whole way. Last time, he never kicked once, never turned a hair. He didn’t kick because he’s got his little goat that goes with him.”

The goat was named after soccer star Lionel Messi.

“The guys in my barn named him after Lionel Messi,” Wilkes said. “They said, ‘Messi’s the GOAT,’ so we got Messi.”

Messi now accompanies Burnham Square wherever he ships.

“I actually think the goat needs him as much as he needs the goat,” Wilkes said. “When he comes off the van, the goat just follows him. He follows him right into the stall. I don’t even have to lead the goat.”

Burnham Square has also surpassed expectations based on his pedigree. Wilkes trained the gelding’s dam, Linda, along with her previous foals.

“I’ve trained all of his older siblings, and they’re all winners, but they were all claiming-level horses,” Wilkes said. “That’s what makes him unique—he’s way better than the whole family. That’s why we ran him for a tag the first time out. We thought we knew what the family was like. Everything he’s done has just been unbelievably better. He’s accomplished so much more than the rest of the family ever has.”

Burnham Square is scheduled to arrive at Colonial Downs on Thursday morning before schooling in the paddock Friday. Wilkes said the gelding has continued to train forwardly ahead of the Arlington Million.

“He’s doing good,” Wilkes said. “I’m very happy with him. He hasn’t missed a beat. He’s right on target where I want him to be, so I’m looking forward to it.”

In a field of eight older horses, Burnham Square will be guided from post 5 by Brian Hernandez Jr. as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the 1¼-mile Arlington Million. Scheduled as Race 11 on the Festival of Racing’s 12-race program, the Million headlines an eight-stakes card worth $2.6 million and is joined by the Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D. for older fillies and mares and the Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat for 3-year-olds.

Tickets for the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing are available at ColonialDowns.com.