Million Diaries: Europeans Invade Thursday Works

My day started on an early note this morning when my alarm went off at 5:10 a.m. so I could get to Arlington Park around the time works started ahead of Saturday's Arlington Million and the track's International Festival of Racing. The early call was definitely worth it as I got to catch sunrise at the track.

When I made it over to the actual track Million contender Shining Copper was already leaving the track after galloping as soon as the track opened.

Soon after Shining Copper left the track, Secretariat runner Closing Bell hit the track and went for an easy gallop with Arlington Milllion runner Bookrunner and Lucky Speed entering the track as he galloped by.

There was a period of time when it felt like the Million day contenders just kept coming with Slumber hitting the track right behind the Europeans. Slumber hung out on the rail right next to the gap for a few minutes, taking in the scene at the track before setting off to gallop a few laps.

The European contenders seem to come out in groups so when Lucky Speed finished his work before Bookrunner, he hung out by the gap waiting for his buddy to come off the track. He didn’t seem to mind it too much, soaking up the attention he got from the cameras by the gap.

It was a busy morning but the outrider pony seemed to be pretty bored with his job, every once in a while checking back to make sure that we were giving him some attention.

My Million choice, Big Blue Kitten, made an appearance about an hour before the break and he’s looking as good as ever. Big Blue Kitten is coming off a win in the United Nations win back in July and from what I saw of him this morning, he may be the first horse since 1993 to win both the United Nations and the Arlington Million.

Like I said earlier, the European invaders seem to come out in pairs and this pairing was Arlington Million contender Elleval and St. Leger runner Panama Hat. Elleval is coming into the Million after a good second to Beverly D. runner Carla Bianca and Panama Hat is probably best known for his three wins in one week last year.

Belgian Bill, who I have been watching for years in international racing appeared on the track right after the other two with his buddy Maverick Wave in tow and both of them put in strong gallops, picking up speed headed to the finish line.

Hyper rounded out the Chad Brown males who hit the track this morning. The 8-year-old is the oldest horse in the Festival races and will be taking on the American St. Leger field on Saturday. His exercise rider said Hyper loves the cameras and that was clear here when he stopped so he could get a little bit more attention before going out for a three-lap jaunt around the track.

Hyper was the last Million festival horse to hit the track before the break but as soon as the track reopened a half hour later, his stablemate and last year’s Beverly D. runner up Stephanie’s Kitten led the charge of all horses on the track.

While Stephanie’s Kitten was galloping, we were in for a big surprise. Four Irish horses flew into Chicago on Tuesday afternoon so a group of us figured they wouldn’t be seen on the track until Friday. I was standing by the winner’s circle gap and looked over to see Million festival saddle towels and immediately recognized the face of one of the horses as he turned toward me.
Secretariat contender Highland Reel is a horse I have watched since his debut and I was excited to see him entered for a Million race. Today he was the leader of the surprise, looking as good as ever after a win just a few weeks ago.

He was joined by Wedding Vow and Carla Bianca on the track. While Wedding Vow and Highland Reel jogged around nearly the whole track before galloping, Carla Bianca turned around and galloped back when she got to the backstretch. When she went past me, her rider was having a hard time keeping her going fairly slow.

Soon after, Highland Reel and Wedding Vow went by in their first U.S. gallops. Highland Reel isn’t really a secret but Wedding Vow looks like she might fly under the radar this weekend in the Beverly D. Stakes.

The final horse of the day was last year’s Beverly D. winner Euro Charline, who has been galloping on the turf all week. She didn’t change the routine today, coming out and happily doing a lap on the turf course before heading back to the barn a little before 10.

And with that, the track closed and Thursday works were over. Penelope Miller arrives later today and will take be providing photo blogs all weekend of the Arlington fun. If you are close to Arlington Park, I highly recommend you come out here the next two mornings for works and Saturday afternoon to enjoy the day’s racing, it should be a great time.