Arlington Million Heads for Barn as Mister D. Stakes

When it started in 1981, it was the world's first $1 million race. In 1985, it was a miracle it was run at all, just weeks after fire destroyed the grandstand. And after the Aug. 14 renewal, it will be a miracle of an entirely different sort if it's ever run again.

It's not even the "Arlington Million" anymore.

With Churchill Downs Inc. on the cusp of selling Arlington International Racecourse for redevelopment, the race this year is the Mister D. Stakes (G1T), honoring long-time track owner Richard L. Duchossois, whose 100th birthday is Oct. 7. With the name changed, CDI was free to drop the purse to $600,000 as it runs out the clock on the track's existence.

Still, the race is run at 1 1/4 miles on Arlington's world-class turf course, in front of a grandstand acclaimed worldwide for its architectural innovation. And, against all odds, it does have a sprinkling of world-class horses and retains a vestige of the international component that earned the race a major slot on the world racing calendar.

Ireland's Coolmore "lads," along with trainer Aidan O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore, ensure the global component as Armory  is among the likely favorites. The Galileo  colt has been a consistent top-level performer throughout a 15-race career that included a runner-up finish in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1) at Moonee Valley in Australia last October. He was third, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths, in a classy renewal of the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot two months ago before a fourth in the Sky Bet York Stakes (G2) July 24.

Space Traveller , a Bated Breath  5-year-old, also adds international interest although he runs in the Mister D. for American trainer Brendan Walsh. Space Traveller made only one start in 2020 and has struggled a bit in England this season. He finished eighth in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita, five lengths adrift of the winner, Uni .

Those two, and the rest of the field, are likely to have their hands full with the probable Mister D. favorite, Domestic Spending , not to mention his trainer, Chad Brown.

Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending, a 4-year-old Kingman  gelding, has won six of seven starts and rides a four-race winning streak into the Chicago suburbs. The last three of those came in grade 1 events at three different tracks, most recently the Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park June 5. That also was 1 1/4 miles and he won by 2 3/4 lengths, going away.

"He's doing fabulous," Brown said of Domestic Spending. "It's perfect timing and I love the distance."

Other entrants include the 1-2-3 finishers from the Arlington Stakes (G3T) on "Million Preview Day"—Bizzee Channel , Two Emmys , and Another Mystery —and the favorite from that race, Zulu Alpha , who finished fifth in his first start of 2021. Multi-millionaire Zulu Alpha, whose biggest victory came in the 2020 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T), is trained by Mike Maker for owner Michael Hui.

It's hard, though, to look past O'Brien, who has two Million titles, and especially Brown, who has won the Million four times, including the last three editions. During the last Million Day in 2019, Brown-trained runners swept all four graded stakes on the card, headed by eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar 's victory in the Million itself.

"Those Arlington races are a huge part of my year," he said. "I love the course there. I liken it to a PGA pro playing that one weekend at Augusta in the Masters. Arlington has been like Augusta to me.

"I will miss it."

Entries: Mr. D. S. (G1T)

Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, August 14, 2021, Race 9

• Grade IT
• 1 1/4m
• Turf
• $600,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:13 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Strong Tide (IN)	Julio E. Felix	126	Michael E. Lauer	15/1
2	Glynn County (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	126	Michael J. Maker	12/1
3	Domestic Spending (GB)	Flavien Prat	126	Chad C. Brown	6/5
4	Two Emmys (KY)	James Graham	126	Hugh H. Robertson	10/1
5	Zulu Alpha (KY)	Luis Saez	126	Michael J. Maker	8/1
6	Another Mystery (IL)	Jose E. Lopez	126	Chris M. Block	20/1
7	Space Traveller (GB)	Daniel Alexander Tudhope	126	Brendan P. Walsh	20/1
8	Bizzee Channel (KY)	Jareth Loveberry	126	Larry Rivelli	6/1
9	Armory (IRE)	Ryan L. Moore	126	Aidan P. O'Brien	9/2
10	Big Dreaming (KY)	Adam Beschizza	126	Wayne M. Catalano	15/1