Mckinney

Well, I've kept my eyes and ears open all week but haven't come up with much great information.

Today's works were somewhat telling, and all three races are just going to come down to what you think of the favorites.

Just a few thoughts on tomorrow's inscrutable card:

Love Cavan Thunder in the 4th. Think 1/2 to Tiz Wonderful, Witch Princess, is made of more than we saw in the debut. Why is Amazing Results not in the Secretariat instead of the Forward Pass? Toque de Queda looks sensational, and may be a bit of a surprise. Mauralakana appeared completely in her own world when I went and saw her today. Snoose Goose should be live in the Secretariat. He certainly fits in a race that isn't deep after two runners, and he was a handful in the barn this morning....he's ready to go.

What I'll leave you with here, if I don't get back online to update tonight is something that Frank Kirby told me today when I was visiting Cloudy's Knight. The horse is a monster to look at, he's a giant one, but he's crooked and unattractive in the legs. Kirby told me that "when he was 2, I wouldn't have paid a ham sandwich for him."

That's as good as it gets! Hope someone, somewhere got something out of this, and I hope you all enjoy your Million Day!

Feel free to drop a comment about who you like in tomorrow's races.

With no real details provided, and it certainly doesn't appear that they're going to be coming anytime soon, Sudan is out of the Million.

Spirit One may be the only real pace left in here.

Well, I somehow tricked myself into thinking it was a good idea to peel out of bed at 5:00am to get out here to see the runners for tomorrow's Million card hit the track one last time before the big day. I'll update this post throughout the morning, and am venturing back to the barn area around 9:00am to take a look at some of the runners.

Einstein just came out on the track for a bit of walking, he's been out for awhile with Helen Pitts up just soaking it all in. Like Amateurcapper said in the comments on my photo entry, this guy is just a picture of perfection. He couldn't look any better on the track and there shouldn't be any concerns with how he's coming into this race. He's brilliantly put together and while he seems to be a bit forgotten with all the talk of the European invaders, but he should be primed for a huge effort tomorrow and will have every shot if he's good enough.

The old warrior Silverfoot also came out for a leisurely nine furlong walk around the oval. Maybe I'm just reading too much into his age, but he just seemed a little less interested in being around than some of the others I've seen. There are no concerns at all with how he looks, he's a wonderful horse to look at, but he was walking around sort of the way he runs -- slowly and less fluid than some of the others.

Mauralakana has got to be one of the better looking runners on the grounds right now. She's responding well to her temporary new surroundings.

Tizdejavu came out for a very light jog, if you could even call it that, and he's just floating. I guess that most of these runners are good ones so they're going to look good, but I'm very impressed with this guy, as much as I'd love to beat him tomorrow.

Dreaming of Anna was out for a very brief walk around the course with Wayne Catalano up, and Cloudy's Knight was allowed to just walk and take it all in.

Archipenko walked up and then offered up a spirited jog...he certainly looks the part here.

European Secretariat runner Plan came out and actually gave a light gallop, and certainly looked primed for tomorrow's run. 

Spirit One, who turned in a blistering, eye-catching work yesterday, also came out for an easy walk around the course.

Cicerole and Toque de Queda came out together and walked around the track once in tandem, and honestly, on paper I'm not a big fan of Toque de Queda, but she looks sensational. I'm not sure whether or not it will be enough to sway my opinion of her, but I think based on her presence alone, she's worth a second look. 

Here's Toque de Queda, courtesy of Four Footed Fotos: 

So far, Dreaming of Anna has been the least impressive looking horse out on the track. The pace scenario doesn't flatter her anyway, so perhaps that's another good reason to play against the local money on her. 

....More to Come

Horseplayer Pro Blogs...good for something.

Because you heard it here FIRST...fields, posts, odds for the three Grade I races Saturday.

Arlington Million

1. Archipenko, de Kock, Shea, 2-1

2. Stream Cat, Arnold, Leparoux, 8-1

3. Spirit One (FR), Demercastel, Mendizabal, 10-1

4. Sudan (IRE), Frankel, Velazquez, 8-1

5. Cloudy's Knight, Kirby, Zimmerman, 20-1

6. Einstein (BRZ), Pitts, Albarado, 7-2

7. Mount Nelson, O'Brien, Murtagh, 5-2

8. Silverfoot, Stewart, Douglas, 20-1

********** 

Beverly D.

1. Dreaming of Anna, Catalano, Gomez, 7-2

2. Rosinka (IRE), Motion, Dominguez, 8-1

3. Precious Kitten, Frankel, Bejarano, 9-5

4. Mauralakana (FR), Clement, Desormeaux, 3-1

5. Ciao, Kirby, Velazquez, 30-1

6. Meribel, Pitts, Albarado, 20-1

7. Toque De Queda, Delzangles, Murtagh, 30-1

8. Communique, Arnold, Douglas, 12-1

9. Cicerole (FR), Rouget, Mendizabal, 6-1

Secretariat

1. Prime Realestate, Catalano, Fires, 10-1

2. Winchester, Weld, Douglas, 10-1

3. Plan, O'Brien, Murtagh, 5-2

4. Strait of Mewsina (IRE), Rivelli, Baird, 30-1

5. Snoose Goose, Robertson, Albarado, 20-1

6. Tizdejavu, Fox, Gomez, 6-5

7. Your Round, Hubley, Velazquez, 8-1

8. Sr. Henry, Stidham, Razo Jr., 12-1

9. Secret Getaway, Stidham, Wilson, 10-1

Live draw coming up here shortly...fields are mostly set at this point and we're just waiting to make them all official.

A few photos to share from this week. I'll hopefully have some more in the next few days, and your trusty Million blogger is going to do the unthinkable.....peel myself out of bed several hours earlier than usual, at the crack of dawn on Friday to come get a good look at whichever horses end up on the track that morning.

So here, all courtesy of Four Footed Fotos, are a couple pictures of the incredibly lean Archipenko and some of Einsten enjoying a bath after a grassy workout this morning.

Archipenko (on a sidenote, I've been sort of obsessively looking at these photos of him about a hundred times since I got them about 48 hours ago. I can't get over how tiny and lean and absolutely NOT imposing he looks, yet he's so accomplished. He doesn't look remotely intimidating, remotely scary, or remotely powerful....yet he's the likely favorite and the likeliest winner! Any out there with better knowledge of how horses are put together with any thoughts on that?)

Einstein & Helen Pitts