Arlington Million Top Contenders

by Bodog Racebook | Aug 8 2011

Some of the world's best turf runners will go head-to-head in the $1M Gr. 1 Arlington Million on Saturday, Aug. 13. Gio Ponti, Wigmore Hall and Cape Blanco headline the 1¼ mile race at Arlington Park . Before you make your online horse betting wager, read all about these top contenders for the Arlington Million.

Winner of the Arlington Million in 2009, 6-year-old Gio Ponti remains one of the best turf runners in action today – though he is still looking for his first win of the year. In March, he began his 2011 campaign in Dubai with a fifth-place finish in the Dubai World Cup. He returned to action two-and-a-half months later at Belmont Park and posted a third-place showing in the Gr. 1 Manhattan Handicap in June and a runner-up performance in the Gr. 1 Man o' War Stakes in July. Trained by Christophe Clement for Castleton Lyons, Gio Ponti will be looking to become just the second horse in history to win the Arlington Million twice. In his 2010 attempt, he fell short of victory by a mere half-length. The son of Tale of the Cat has earned $5,497,800 from 26 career starts and is 11-9-1.

North American-based rivals Rahystrada, Dean's Kitten and Tajaaweed are also possible for Saturday's race.

Making his second trip to North America in as many years is the Irish-bred Wigmore Hall. A son of High Chaparral, Wigmore Hall spent most of his 2010 season campaigning in England before traveling to Arlington Park for the Gr. 1 Secretariat Stakes and scoring a runner-up finish. This year, the Michael Bell trainee kicked off his 2011 season in Dubai. He captured one of two races (the Gr. 2 Jebel Hatta) before jetting to Singapore in May where he placed seventh in a grade 1 stakes race. The well-traveled 4-year-old has earned $989,071 for owner Mark Hawtin and is 5-4-2 from 16 career starts.

One of the frontrunners in the European contingent is Irish-bred Cape Blanco, a 4-year-old son of Galileo who has clashed with Gio Ponti twice already this year. Cape Blanco defeated Gio Ponti in the Man o' War Stakes in July in his first North American race. He, too, began his 2011 campaign in the Dubai World Cup, finishing fourth (ahead of Gio Ponti) and then continued on to Longchamp and Ascot where he turned in a fourth- and a sixth-place finish, respectively. Trained by Aiden O'Brien for the partnership of Fitri Hay, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor, Cape Blanco is a career 13-7-1-0 and has earned $2,979,665.

Other possible European invaders include Ransom Note, Zack Hall and Tazeez.

Are you ready for the Arlington Million? Make all your online horse bets with the Bodog Racebook!