2024 Arlington Million Preview

Did you know that the first thoroughbred race in the United States to offer a purse of $1 million was not the Kentucky Derby, but rather the Arlington Million? The Grade 1 race, at 1 1/4 miles on the lawn, started at the suburban Chicago track in 1981. Even though Arlington closed after the 2021 meet, the legacy lives on. It moved to Churchill Downs in 2022 and then to its current home at Colonial Downs in Virginia in 2023.

Looking back to history, top horses who won the race include champions like John Henry, Estrapade, Gio Ponti, and 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar. Other fan favorites who have won the Arlington Million include durable Illinois-bred star The Pizza Man, upset Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Little Mike, and The Tin Man.

The 2024 Arlington Million happens Sunday, August 11: a day later than originally planned in order to let the track recover from Tropical Storm Debby. The field includes six runners led by Charlie Appleby’s multiple top-level winner Nations Pride, winner of the 2022 Saratoga Derby. His key foes include Integration, who recently got a confidence builder over the local course for Shug McGaughey, and Ancient Rome, who ships overseas for trainer Charlie Hills.

2024 Arlington Million Information

• Race Date: Sunday, August 11
• Track: Colonial Downs
• Post Time: 6:40 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
• Distance: 1 1/4 miles
• Age/Sex: three-year-olds and up
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing

Arlington Million Draw and Odds

This is the six-horse field for the 2024 Arlington Million, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds for each runner.

Arlington Million Prep Race Results

All six entrants in the Arlington Million come out of different races, all stakes races on the lawn at a mile or more.

Three of the six runners were last seen in graded stakes company, though none won at that level in their most recent start. Nations Pride is the only one who most recently ran at the Grade 1 level; he chased on for a two-length second behind stablemate Measured Time in the 1 3/16-mile Manhattan on June 8 at Saratoga. Talk of the Nation missed by half a length to Carl Spackler in the Kelso (G3) at a mile on July 13 at the Spa. Ancient Rome, the lone international shipper, missed by half a length to Quddwah in the Summer Mile (G2) at Ascot.

The rest of the field prepared in ungraded stakes. Integration, the only last-out winner in the field, won by 6 ½ lengths over soft ground in the Million Preview at 1 ⅛ miles at Colonial on July 13. Sugoi was second by half a length to Webslinger in the Chorleywood on June 15, and cuts back a furlong from that trip. Highland Chief steps up in class off a second-place finish, 4 ¾ lengths behind Forever Souper, in the 1 ⅛-mile Prince George’s County Stakes at Laurel on July 14.

Arlington Million Contenders

This is the field for the 2024 Arlington Million in post-position order.

1. Integration: Integration has been a buzz horse for often cautious trainer Shug McGaughey, who ran him in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) in just his fourth lifetime start. He missed by 1 ¾ lengths that day, finishing fifth, and after being defeated in three more Grade 1 races after that McGaughey dropped him down to ungraded company for the Million Preview last month. He won that in blowout fashion over soft ground. He should thrive over rain-affected ground again, and his pace-versatility is a plus. The big question is whether he can stretch out to 1 1/4 miles, his longest distance yet. There is enough in his pedigree to think he could, though.
2. Ancient Rome: In a race with such a proud lineage of international shippers, Ancient Rome is the only one this year. He has successfully come to the states before: he won the Mint Million at a mile last September. He hasn’t won in three starts since, though a close second in the Summer Mile suggests he may be getting close to his best form again. Class is the question, however: he does have a win at 1 1/4 miles over soft ground last year, though that came in a handicap at Goodwood and even this marginal Grade 1 will be a class test for him at this distance.
3. Sugoi: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Mike Maker drops a high-dollar claim on an older horse and turns them into a graded stakes-quality turf runner … as has been the story with so many—that’s Sugoi’s trajectory this year. He was claimed to the Maker barn in April out of a $50,000 claiming win at Keeneland. Sugoi turned back to win the Louisville (G3) at 1 ½ miles at Churchill Downs in his very next start, and then missed by only half a length to the well-proven Webslinger in the Chorleywood next out. The distance of the Arlington Million should be good for him, as he has won at the trip on polytrack already. He needs to prove class here, but if he brings his best, his tactical abilities, as well as his grit when challenged will serve him well.
4. Nations Pride: 1 1/4 miles is a bit of an in-between distance for top turf runners: there’s a well-developed mile division and a well-developed 1 ½-mile division, but horses best at this distance sometimes have peppered form just due to looking for races that fit for both class and distance. Nations Pride has won going as long as 1 ½ miles, but this Arlington Million distance may be his best. He won a Group 1 in Germany over this distance—over soft ground, no less!—and won the Canadian International (G1) last year at the same trip as well. With tactical speed, soft-ground form, and one of the best shipping trainers on earth in Charlie Appleby, Nations Pride shapes as the horse to beat at Colonial.
5. Highland Chief: Off for a year and a half between late 2022 and spring 2024, Highland Chief has come back good, but perhaps not quite as good as he was at four and five. His second-place finish last out in a listed race at Laurel was his best finish yet, and showed he could still be somewhat effective getting the stalking trip that suits him best. However, he came up flat when fourth in a Grade 3 over soft turf two starts ago, and his best trip is a little longer than the 1 1/4 miles of this race.
6. Talk of the Nation: This up-and-coming Todd Pletcher trainee is the interesting new face of the Arlington Million. A miler who always tends to find his place, at least against the Grade 3 and ungraded-stakes horses he has been running against, he stretches out to longer than 1 1/16 miles for the first time ever. He has the tactical speed to work out a nice trip from this clean outside gate. He also has the pedigree to try this distance, being by Quality Road out of a Street Cry mare from the family of Zenyatta.

Arlington Million FAQ

Q: When is the 2024 Arlington Million?

A: The 2024 Arlington Million takes place on Sunday, August 11, at 6:00 p.m. EDT. The race was originally scheduled for Saturday but was pushed a day in order to leave some time after likely rain from Tropical Storm Debby.

Q: Where is the Arlington Million?

A: The Arlington Million takes place at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Virginia. The Arlington Million is carded as the 11th race of 12 on Sunday’s card at Colonial.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Arlington Million?

A: Chad Brown has four Arlington Million wins so far, most recently with Bricks and Mortar in 2019. Among the trainers with horses in the 2024 edition, none have won this race before.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Arlington Million?

A: Coming off a good second in the Manhattan, and carrying a strong record at the 1 1/4-mile distance, Nations Pride is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick.

Q: Who is the best Arlington Million jockey?

A: Eight different jockeys have won the Arlington Million twice: Cash Asmussen, Jerry Bailey, Ramon Dominguez, Florent Geroux, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Laffit Pincay, Jr., Jose Santos, and Gary Stevens. None have a call this year, though Geroux and Ortiz are still active. Among jockeys in the 2024 edition, William Buick can tie the record if Nations Pride wins and Jamie Spencer can if Ancient Rome wins.

Q: Who won the Arlington Million in 2023?

A: Set Piece won the 2023 Arlington Million for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux. Neither has an entry in 2024.

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