Arlington Million Day is Saturday at Arlington Park

Arlington Million Day is the biggest day of racing in Illinois and we’ll have all of the action all day long.  Thirteen runners will compete in the $1,000,000 Grade 1 race that will cover a mile and a quarter on the Arlington Park lawn.  Grandeur drew the far outside but still managed to be assigned the role of 7/2 morning line favorite.  Grandeur won a pair of Grade 2 events in Southern California last season and is coming off a second place finish in a Group 2 at York in Great Britain.  William Buick, who is an Arlington Million winning jockey will have the mount for trainer Jeremy Noseda.  Defending Champion Little Mike will look to be the first horse ever to win in back to back years.  Little Mike challenged a solid pace in the Grade 1 United Nations and had the lead to mid-stretch before fading and finishing fourth.  He will be shortening up an eighth of a mile in this event and if he can get away on the lead like last year, he could be quite dangerous under jockey Joel Rosario.  The Apache is yet another European shipper and they always warrant serious attention.  He was second in the $5,000,000 Dubai Duty Free before finishing fourth in the Sky Bet York.  The race looks so wide open and players who can narrow down the contenders and hit will be rewarded handsomely.

The undercard is always fantastic on Million Day and this year is no exception.  Marketing Mix is the 2/1 morning line favorite but she’ll have to best some serious competition from the shippers.  Dank is coming off a Group 2 win at the Curragh and has been getting better with each and every start overseas.  Duntle has won 5 of his 9 career starts and just finished second in a Group 1 in France.  The Grade 1 Secretariat is for 3 year olds and drew thirteen runners.  Rydilluc is looking to get back on track after a dull eighth place finish in the Virginia Derby.  Jack Milton was third in that Virginia Derby and always seems to make a late move in all of his races.  Watch for him to be flying late.  Admiral Kitten has finished second in his last four starts, including two in a row in the prep races for the Secretariat.

The Arlington Million card gets underway at 1:45pm EST and the Million is Race 10.

BetPTC.com Selections for the Arlington Million

1. The Apache
2. Grandeur
3. Side Glance

Longshot: Rahystrada

BetPTC.com Selections for the Beverly D.

1. Duntle
2. Dank
3. Starformer

Longshot: Ausus

BetPTC.com Selections for the Secretariat Stakes

1. First Cornerstone
2. Rydilluc
3. Yeager

Longshot: Stormy Len

Ten set to go in the Grade 1 Del Mark Oaks

Ten talented fillies will go a mile and a eighth on the Del Mar grass in the Grade 1 $300,000 Del Mark Oaks on Saturday.  Kitten’s Dumplings is the east coast invader in this group and she brings with her an impressively growing resume that befits a Grade 1 contender.  She won the Grade 3 Regret two starts back and won the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga last time, so she’s primed and ready and on the rise.  Doinghardtimeagain will be getting on the grass for just the second time after she laid a big egg in her last race, costing some show bettors some serious cash in the process.  Her lone grass try was down the hill at Santa Anita in a little stake and she performed well, finishing second beaten a half length.  Wishing Gate won the San Clemente last time out, which was the Grade 2 prep for this event.   The Del Mar Oaks is the 8^th race at Del Mar on Sunday and post time is 8:40pm EST.

BetPTC.com Selections for the Del Mar Oaks

1. Kitten’s Dumplings
2. Wishing Gate
3. Unusual Way

Longshot: Pearlside

Longacres Mile is Emerald Downs seasonal feature on Sunday

The Grade 3 $200,000 Longacres Mile is the seasonal feature at Emerald Downs and will be run on Sunday in the Northwest.  A full field of twelve runners has entered with recent Mt. Rainier Stakes winner Herbie D. listed as the co-highweight along with Politicallycorrect.  Herbie D. was dominant up at Hastings in Vancouver and made the transition to Emerald Downs very smoothly.  Politicallycorrect was just second in the Grade 3 James Marvin Stakes and will make the long journey to Seattle to run in the Longacres Mile.  Mr. Bowling and Hoist will both also ship down from Hastings Park, where last year’s Mile winner Taylor Said came from as well.  The main undercard event is the Emerald Distaff which is a very contentious event featuring Evelyn’s Dancer taking on local favorite EZ Kitty and Exclusive Diva.  Emerald Downs Sunday card gets underway at 5:15pm EST on Sunday.

BetPTC.com Selections for the Longacres Mile

1. Herbie D.
2. Why Not Be Perfect
3. Hoist

Longshot: Mr. Bowling

BetPTC.com Selections for the Emerald Distaff

1. EZ Kitty
2. Evelyn’s Dancer
3. Exclusive Diva

Longshot: Wando Woman

Canadian Derby headlines Northlands Park’s big Saturday

The Grade 3 $200,000 Canadian Derby headlines a really great card at Northlands Park on Saturday afternoon.  Twelve runners have entered the mile and three eighths marathon event that will span just over two trips around the five furlong course.  Broadway Empire looks to be the local favorite off of his huge win back in the Ky Alta Handicap at Northlands last month.  He’s already tried Graded Stakes company in California and was in contention after being rank the entire first half mile of the race.  He drew post eleven, out near the only Grade 3 winner in the field, who is Title Contender.  Title Contender certainly took the worst of the draw getting the far outside post position for jockey Enrique Gonzalez.  Title Contender has lots of speed and should be prominent early on, however even though Northlands is a bullring, horses can certainly close in well.  Reporting Star was second to Verrazano in the Pegasus Stakes and was just second in the Jersey Derby at Monmouth.  He’s made the long trek to Edmonton and will certainly get some attention at the windows.  Success Rate looks like an interesting proposition as he had just taken a seriously long trek to get to Edmonton when he ran fourth in the Count Lathum.  He should be fresher and more accustomed to the ground at Northlands and should fire a bigger effort.

Commander headlines the Westerner Handicap and he is a Northlands Park specialist as he’s 6 for 7 in Edmonton in his career.  He looks like a standout in this spot.  Saturday Nite Ride and Madeira Park will square off in the City of Edmonton Distaff.  Saturday Nite Ride beat Madeira Park in the Mademoiselle Handicap and those two look like the two main contenders in the Distaff.  Northlands Park racing gets underway at 2pm EST.

BetPTC.com Selections for the Canadian Derby

1. Success Rate
2. Reporting Star
3. Broadway Empire

Longshot: For Cash

BetPTC.com Selections for the Westerner

1. Commander
2. Silver Baubles
3. Senor Rojo

Longshot: Toccetive

BetPTC.com Selections for the City of Edmonton Distaff

1. Madeira Park
2. Saturday Nite Ride
3. Tempered Sapphire

Saturday Stakes Action at BetPTC.com

Arapahoe

Race 8                  Spicy Stakes                            5:41pm EST

Race 9                  Mile High Derby                       6:03pm EST

Arlington Park

Race 1                  Straight Line Stakes                 1:45pm EST

Race 6                  Hatoof Stakes                          4:21pm EST

Race 7                  American St. Leger Stakes       4:52pm EST

Race 8                  Secretariat Stakes                    5:23pm EST

Race 9                  Beverly D. Stakes                     6:02pm EST

Race 10                Arlington Million                        6:44pm EST

Race 11                 Hatoof Stakes                          7:26pmEST

Canterbury

Race 7                  Hoist Her Flag Stakes                5:52pm EST

Race 8                  Minnesota HBPA Distaff             6:22pm EST

Charles Town

Race 8                  Frank Gall Memorial                 10:25pm EST

Del Mar

Race 8                  Del Mar Oaks                            8:40pm EST

Delaware Park

Race 8                  Rosenna Stakes                        4:45pm EST

Emerald Downs

Race 9                  WTOBA Lads Stakes                 9:09pm EST

Finger Lakes

Race 8                  Leon Reed Memorial                 4:19pm EST

Gulfstream Park

Race 7                  Paseana Stakes                        4:15pm EST

Louisiana Downs

Race 3                  La. Cup Oaks                              3:14pm EST

Race 4                  La. Cup Juvenile Fillies              3:40pm EST

Race 5                  La. Cup Derby                           4:05pm EST

Race 6                  La. Cup F and M Sprint             4:33pm EST

Race 7                  La. Cup Distaff                           5:02pm EST

Race 8                  La. Cup Juvenile                       5:32pm EST

Race 9                  La. Cup Turf Classic                   6:00pm EST

Race 10                La. Cup Sprint Stakes                6:26pm EST

Monmouth Park

Race 11                 Restoration Stakes                    5:58pm EST

Northlands

Race 2                  City of Edmonton Distaff            2:28pm EST

Race 10                Westerner Handicap                 6:22pm EST

Race 12                Canadian Derby                        7:45pm EST

Remington Park

Race 8                  Governor’s Cup                        11:16pm EST

Woodbine

Race 8                  Ontario Colleen Stakes              4:18pm EST

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