Globetrotting Nations Pride Headlines Arlington Million at Colonial Downs

Colonial Downs’ Festival of Racing Day on August 10 loaded with $2.5 million in purses over seven stakes

New Kent, Va (Aug. 4) –– Boasting a resume that includes six stakes wins in five different countries, Godolphin’s globetrotting Irish-bred Nations Pride headlines a field of six for the 1¼- mile Grade 1 Arlington Million, the grand finale of seven stakes carded for Colonial Downs’ Festival of Racing Day on August 10. Preceded immediately by the 1-3/16 miles Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D for fillies and mares and the one-mile Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds, the Arlington Million is scheduled as race 11 of 12 on the program which gets underway at 1 p.m. ET.

Expanded for 2024, the Festival of Racing includes four additional stakes: the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, a one-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds and its sister race, the $100,000 Penny Chenery at seven furlongs; the $150,000 Van Clief for older runners at 5½ furlongs on the turf and its distaff companion event, the $150,000 Andy Guest. Purse money totals $2.5 million over the added money events.

Set to make the third start of his 5-year-old campaign, last out Nations Pride played runner-up to a fellow Charlie Appleby trainee when he was unable to rundown Measured Time in the Manhattan (G1). Nations Pride’s brilliant 2023 campaign included taking the Canadian International (G1) at Woodbine, his third graded stake score in three different countries. As a 3-year-old the stakes winner in England asserted himself globally with back-to-back scores in the Saratoga Derby (G1) and Jockey Club Derby (G3). William Buick, the top call jockey for the Appleby barn, will be in town to ride both Nations Pride, who drew post 4, and Mischief Magic, the morning line favorite in the Van Clief Stakes. Buick is looking for his second Arlington Million triumph having won the race in 2010 aboard Debussy

Chief among Nations Pride’s competition in the Arlington Million is another with proven overseas form, Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Ancient Rome. Though bred in Kentucky, the son of War Front established himself as a group stakes winner at 2 in the Prix des Chenes (G3) at Longchamp. Trained by Charlie Hills, the now 5-year-old added the Mint Millions (G3) at Kentucky Downs to his resume in 2023. Having proven himself at the Arlington Million distance in the Coral Chesterfield Cup, Ancient Rome enters fresh off a second-place finish to the unbeaten Quddwah at Ascot in July’s Summer Mile (G2). With the familiar presence of 2011 Arlington Million winning jockey Jamie Spencer in the saddle, Ancient Rome will start from post 2

West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, Pine Racing Stables, William Freeman, Michael Valdes, and John Ballantyne’s Integration is a perfect three-for-three over the Colonial’s Secretariat Turf Course. With his dominant win in the Million Preview, Integration notched his fourth career victory in seven races. Demonstrating his brilliant turn of foot, the Shug McGaughey trainee was unbeaten as a 3-year-old, including the Grade 3 New Kent County Virginia Derby and the Hill Prince (G2). Aboard for all his Colonial Downs scores, Integration will reunite with Kendrick Carmouche and leave from the rail.

Finishing in the top three in eight straight stakes, Allen Stable and CHC Inc.’s Talk of the Nation is as consistent as they come. Exiting a second-place finish to multiple graded-stakes winner Carl Spackler in the Kelso (G3), the 4-year-old colt trained by Todd Pletcher employs forward tactics. Distance will be the question for the son of Quality Road who has never ran more than 1 1/16 miles. Guided by Eclipse Award winning rider Jose Ortiz, the son of Quality Road draws post 6.

Paradise Farms and David Staudacher’s Sugoi has returned to top form since joining the Mike Maker barn. With back class hidden deep in his past performances, the 7-year-old was claimed for $50,000 last April at Keeneland and was immediately pointed towards the Louisville (G3). the son of Karakontie wired the field in the 1½-mile race, earning his fourth turf victory but just his first graded stakes score. Next out, Sugoi led deep into the stretch in the Chorleywood but was unable to hold off Webslinger’s late charge. Aboard for both stakes runs, Julien Leparoux travels to New Kent for the mount and will be the likely pace presence from post 3.

Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s winner of the 2022 Man O’ War (G1), Highland Chief (Ire), will make his fourth start of the year in the Arlington Million. Last out, Highland Chief ran second in the Prince George’s County Stakes at Laurel Park. Trainer Graham Motion gives the call to Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, as he does Trikari in the Secretariat and Mission of Joy in the Beverly D.

Here is the complete field for the Arlington Million (G1) from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line: Integration (Carmouche, McGaughey, 5-2), Ancient Rome (Spencer, Hills, 3-1), Sugoi (Leparoux, Maker, 8-1), Nations Pride (Buick, Appleby, 8-5), Highland Chief (Velazquez, Motion, 12-1), and Talk of the Nation (Ortiz, Pletcher, 6-1).

Reigning Queen Fev Rover to Face Moira in Beverly D

Looking to defend her crown, Fev Rover returns to Colonial Downs to face a field that includes Moira, the 2-1 morning line favorite for the 1-3/16 miles $500,000 Beverly D, one of three graded stakes slated for Colonial Downs’ Festival of Racing Day on August 10. A field of six fillies and mares enter the Beverly D, which once again has been selected as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Slated as race 10, between the one-mile Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds and the 1¼-miles Grade 1 Arlington Million, the Beverly D is one of seven stakes carded with purse money totaling $2.5 million. Expanded for 2024, Colonial’s Festival of Racing includes the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, a one-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds and its sister race, the $100,000 Penny Chenery at seven furlongs; the $150,000 Van Clief for 3-year-olds & up at 5½ furlongs on the turf and its distaff companion event, the $150,000 Andy Guest.

Set to make the third start of her 6-year-old campaign, Tracy Farmer’s Fev Rover began the year with a sixth-place finish to Didia in the New York(G1). Next out the Mark Casse trainee overcame a tough start to run second to Implicated next out in the Nassau (G2), a race she won the year prior. Moira’s pilot for two of her four North American graded stakes titles has been Javier Castellano, including last year’s gate-to-wire Beverly D. score. On Saturday, Castellano will be reunited with Fev Rover, who drew post 4.

Lanni Bloodstock, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing’s honest and talented Moira will make her first run at Colonial in the Beverly D. The Ghostzapper mare ran second behind Whitebeam in the Diana (G1) last out, her first start as a 5-year-old. Trained by Kevin Attard, Moira’s resume includes the 2022 Queen’s Plate and the 2023 Canadian Stakes (G2). She has finished in the money in all but two of her 14 starts, including running third in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Jose Ortiz gets the call and the pair start from post 6.

With both the Wilshire (G3) and the Beverly D Preview on her 2024 resume, Nadette (Fr) enters the Beverly D. in the best form of her career. Purchased for $420,000 by Stepaside Farm at Fasig Tipton’s July Digital Sale, the 5-year-old continues with her prior connections, as Neil Drysdale will saddle her and Hector Berrios will guide her from post 2 on Saturday.

Here is the complete field for the Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: Libban (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph Jr., 7-2), Nadette (Berrios, Drysdale, 8-1), Neecie Marie (Frankie Dettori, Butch Reid, 10-1), Fev Rover (Castellano, Casse, 2-1), Mission of Joy (John Velazquez, Graham Motion, 6-1), and Moira (Ortiz, Attard, 9-5).

Fresh Off Belmont Derby Victory, Trikari Tops Secretariat Field

Amerman Racing’s Belmont Derby (G1) victor Trikari will face eight 3-year-old peers in Saturday’s one-mile Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat at Colonial Downs. With seven stakes totaling $2.5 million in purses slated for the Festival of Racing Day on August 10, the Secretariat is scheduled as race 9 and is followed by the Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D and the Grade 1 Arlington Million.

Expanded for 2024, Festival Day includes the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, a one-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds and its sister race, the $100,000 Penny Chenery at seven furlongs; the $150,000 Van Clief for 3-year-olds & up at 5½ furlongs on the turf and its distaff companion event, the $150,000 Andy Guest.

Though he had just won the Rushaway on the Tapeta at Turfway Park, bettors let Trikari go off at 47-1 in the American Turf (G2) and the son of Oscar Performance reward his backers by winning by 1½ lengths. Trained by Graham Motion, Trikari followed with a game third in the Penn Mile (G2) where he lead late but got nailed at the wire by Secretariat foe First World War. With his Belmont Derby pilot John Velazquez named to ride, Trikari will go from post 9.

Along with the Penn Mile (G3), Qatar Racing and Hunter Valley Farm’s First World War’s graded stakes resume includes the Kitten’s Joy (G3). The War Front colt trained by Brendan Walsh has three seconds to match his number of wins, including last out in the American Derby earning place honors behind Brilliant Berti, another formidable presence in the Secretariat. Adding blinkers for the first time, First World War retains the services of Frankie Dettori and will go from post 7. Dettori also gets the call from Butch Reid to ride Neecie Marie in the Beverly D.

In just four races, Klein Racing’s Brilliant Berti has moved through his conditions with aplomb for trainer Cherie DeVaux. After breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs, the Noble Mission colt overcame early trouble to prove victorious in a first-level allowance. Moving up in class to stakes company, Brilliant Berti once again demonstrated his dazzling turn of foot in the American Derby, flying past First World War and the highly regarded Green Light in the stretch to win by 2¼ lengths. Brian Hernandez, Jr., the winning jockey of both the 2024 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, will be in the irons and guide Brilliant Berti from the rail.

Here is the complete field for the Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: Brilliant Berti (Hernandez Jr., DeVaux, 5-2), Rock’n a Halo (Julien Leparoux, Tom Amoss, 20-1), Bear River (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux, 6-1), In a Jam (Antonio Gallardo, Mark Casse, 20-1), Fulmineo (Victor Carrasco, Arnaud Delacour, 10-1), General Ledger (Jose Ortiz, Saffie Joseph Jr., 8-1), First World War (Dettori, Walsh, 7-2),