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Big Blue Kitten schools in the paddock on Thursday at Arlington

Friday at Arlington

Thursday Arlington International Festival of Racing Workouts

Date: 08/13/2015

Saturday is the 33rd Arlington International Festival of Racing with the Grade I $1,000,000 Arlington Million, the Grade I $700,000 Beverly D, the Grade I $450,000 Secretariat Stakes, and the Grade III $350,000 American St. Leger. These races have drawn top turf horses from all over the world to Chicago to compete at Arlington Park. Training hours at Arlington on Thursday were excellent, with clear skies and temperatures in the high 70's for the International Festival contenders galloping over the Polytrack or turf course.

Check out photos for 17 of the contenders below. Click on the small photo to see a larger version.

horse racing
Belgian Bill is a 30-1 longshot in the Arlington Million. Patrick Murphy, assistant to trainer George Baker said, “He’s very good right now and always a good traveler. He’s very fresh and he is definitely enjoying himself.”
horse racing
Big Blue Kitten, runner-up in the Manhattan last out, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the Arlington Million. He will break from post four under regular rider Joe Bravo for trainer Chad Brown.
horse racing
Carla Bianca exits a victory against the boys at Leopardstown in the Group 3 $66,000 Meld Stakes and is one who should excel over the faster ground she should receive on Saturday. Pat Smullen rides from post six in the Beverly D at morning-line odds of 8-1 for trainer Dermot Weld.
horse racing
Crittenden drew post 4 as a 12-1 outsider in the Secretariat Stakes. Trainer Eoin Harty said, "The way he finished in the American Derby suggests that 1 1/4 won't be a problem and he doesn't have to travel, unlike everyone else in the race, so he has home advantage. I expect the ground to be slightly faster compared to his last run and I think it will be more to his liking. If he can improve a little bit, then I think he is going to run a huge race." William Buick gets the call.
horse racing
Elleval, which is his owner's name spelled backward, is a 30-1 outsider in the Arlington Million. James Casey, assistant to trainer David Marnane said, “He’s done all of his work back home and he is feeling good. The style of your racing in America should suit him. If he has a bit of pace to run at, that’ll be good. I also think he’ll like the ground.”
horse racing
Euro Charline is the 5-2 morning line favorite and defending champion in the Beverly D. Lucie Botti, assistant to husband and trainer Marco said, “She’s done well from three to four, as we expected. Her preparation went smoothly. She has moved forward from her race at Newmarket, as we expected her to, and she is ready to run. I haven’t looked too much at the field. I think Secret Gesture and Wedding Vow will be ready and have a good chance. Secret Gesture seems like the one to beat.”
horse racing
Highland Reel has the distinction of cutting back in distance for the Secretariat Stakes following a win in the Group 3 Neptune Investment Management Gordon Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on July 29 at Goodwood. Seamie Heffernan rides from post six. Trainer Aidan O'Brien is looking for his 4th Secretariat win with the 5-2 second choice.
horse racinghorse racing
Hyper races from the barn of Chad Brown and has proven competitive against graded stakes competition at marathon distances. Hyper will be ridden in the St. Leger Stakes for the first time by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post seven at 7-2 morning line.
horse racing
Lots O'Lex is a 30-1 outsider in the Beverly D. Regular rider Rosemary Homeister Jr. gets the call for trainer Gerald Ashinger and owner Lisa Lex and will break from post 4.
horse racing
Maverick Wave is an 8-1 shot in the Arlington Million. Marcel Koren, assistant to trainer John Gosden said, “At Chester, which is a similar tight track to Arlington, he won from the front and that race has had pretty good form. He had a lovely break to freshen him for a month after Chester and has been pointing for Arlington since. He’s American-bred and has been running the same types of races as Debussy, who won here at Arlington, so we feel like he can win it.”
horse racing
Secret Gesture is a 9-2 shot in the Beverly D. Gary Plasted, assistant to trainer Ralph Beckett said, "I’m hoping she comes back for the Breeders’ Cup, but I don’t know what the boss’s plan is. I hope (the distance) will be okay. We are confident she will like it, otherwise (Beckett) wouldn’t send her. (Euro Charline) is going to be tough.”
horse racing
Shining Copper is entered as the rabbit for stablemate Big Blue Kitten in the Arlington Million. Local rider Chris Emigh will be in the irons aboard the 30-1 shot for trainer Chad Brown.
horse racing
Slumber, whose Manhattan mastery was his lone Grade I victory, breaks from post two under top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the Arlington Million. In the money in four of his five tries at the distance, he has been pointed to the Million all season and lands a 7-2 morning line.
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Stephanie's Kitten is the 7-2 second choice in the Beverly D out of post 3. Regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the call for trainer Chad Brown. She comes to Arlington off a disappointing 5th place finish in the Diana (G1) at Saratoga.
horse racing
Triple Threat breaks from post 10 under Jose Lezcano at odds of 6-1 in the Arlington Million for trainer Bill Mott.
horse racinghorse racing
Watsdachances was a hard-charging second in the Grade II $200,000 Dance Smartly at Woodbine, in which she was given too much to do in the stretch and just missed by a head at the wire. Joe Bravo gets the call for trainer Chad Brown in the Beverly D aboard the 10-1 shot out of the 2 hole.
horse racing
Wedding Vow galloped on the Polytrack as the 4-1 second choice in the Beverly D. T.J. Comerford, assistant to trainer Aidan O'Brien said, "She is progressing and getting better with each race. Legatissimo, who beat her, is one of the decent fillies around this year and if she wasn’t there, (Wedding Vow) is a Group I winner.”

Also check out the Friday morning works at Arlington

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