Burnham Square heads field of eight in Arlington Million

The 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) is the end-of-season goal for Burnham Square, but Saturday will see the exciting grass performer turn back to 10 furlongs for the $1 million Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs.

Despite a narrow-than-expected win in the Chorleywood S. at Churchill Downs last time, where he found himself racing closer to the pace than usual, Burnham Square still figures to be a strong favorite in the Arlington Million. More emphasis will be placed on the gelding’s efforts two and three back, when he captured the Elkhorn (G2) and Louisville (G3) in facile fashion.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Test Score merits a closer look in the Million. The Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) winner ran no sort of race on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs but rebounded to finish within a half-length of Deterministic in the Manhattan (G1) at Saratoga last time.

Integration has won three of five starts at Colonial, the two losses being a second and a third in the last two editions of the Million. The six-year-old has yet to win at top level despite many attempts, with a belated rally in the Manhattan resulting in a fifth-place finish.

Fort Washington toppled the odds-on Integration in last year’s Million, but his form since has been spotty. He’s been unplaced in four of five interim starts, the exception being a win in a modest renewal of the Dinner Party (G3) at Laurel.

Mercante and Dresden Row recently placed behind win machine Lagynos in the Wise Dan (G2), while Layabout and Gran Oriente will be tested for class shipping up from Florida.

A dozen older fillies and mares are set to battle 1 3/16 miles on the grass in the $500,000 Beverly D. (G2). The field is led by Gimme a Nother, who has two wins and three seconds from six starts since her importation from South Africa. Gimme a Nother recently returned from an extended layoff to win the Eatontown (G3) at Monmouth Park in comfortable fashion.

Crevalle d’Oro, who enjoyed a productive winter in Florida, makes her first start in five months, while the Brad Cox-trained Stellify has room for improvement after an impressive Grade 3 win at Kentucky Downs last fall. Stellify has not started since a troubled trip in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) in November.

Alpyland, a four-time stakes winner this term including the Penn Mile (G3) and American Derby in his last two, breaks outside eight rivals in the $500,000 Secretariat (G2), a 1 1/16-mile grass test for three-year-olds.

Deep closer Supercharger enters his stakes debut off back-to-back wins at Churchill Downs for Cherie DeVaux, while comebacker Conducted has been training up a storm in South Florida for new trainer Jose D’Angelo.