Spirit One heads to the Polytrack for his morning exercise (Four Footed Fotos)

Multiple Group 3 hero SPIRIT ONE (Fr) (Anabaa Blue), the French-bred and French-campaigned European invader headed for Saturday's Arlington Million (G1), cantered once around Arlington's Polytrack Thursday morning before a more serious second circle that concluded with a strong half-mile breeze in :49.

Spirit One most recently finished second by three-quarters of a length in Longchamp's La Coupe (Fr-G3) on June 14, but accounted for the Prix Exbury (Fr-G3) at Saint-Cloud in March and gave world-renowned multiple Group 1 victor Duke of Marmalade (Danehill) a challenge when fourth in the Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) in April.

Owner Kamel Chehboub, who is a dried fruit importer and a native of Tunisia, and trainer Philippe Demercastel were on hand to watch the move that was accomplished under exercise rider Emmanuel Diard.

"We didn't make this trip for nothing," Demercastel said immediately following the move while speaking through translator François Dupuis. "The horse looks very happy, so we're very happy. The two European horses are very strong, but we like our horse as well."