Integration, Mystik Dan vie in Arlington Million; Be Your Best tops Beverly D.

Although 0-for-8 in Grade 1 races dating back to 2023, Integration is 3-for-4 over the turf at Colonial Downs, where he will take a second shot at winning the $1 million Arlington Million (G1) on Saturday.

Integration first broke into the national consciousness two summers ago, when he impressively won the Virginia Derby (G3) four weeks after making a winning debut over the Colonial Downs turf. He has since won a pair of Grade 2 events, but success at the top level has so far eluded the son of Quality Road.

He's come close, though, most recently finishing a head second in a shortened, nine-furlong Manhattan (G1) at Saratoga. The 1 1/4-mile distance of the Arlington Million will likely suit him better, and the horse that beat him in the Million last year, Nations Pride, will not defend his title but instead runs Saturday in the Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga.

Trainer Shug McGaughey has another serious contender in Fort Washington, who landed the Canadian Turf (G3) and Dinner Party (G3) in back-to-back starts earlier this year. His attempt at a graded stakes treble fell short last time in the Wise Dan (G2), when a wide rally resulted in a dead-heat for fourth.

One of the significant stories of this Arlington Million is the presence of 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan, who will be making his turf debut. After a couple of sub-par performances over the winter, Mystik Dan showed better form during the spring, most recently finishing first in the Blame (G3) and fourth in the Stephen Foster (G1).

Mystik Dan worked five furlongs in 1:02 over the turf at Saratoga's Oklahoma training track on Aug. 1.

"I always wanted to try him on the turf, and in his work on Friday, it looked like he loved it," trainer Kenny McPeek said. "The move was so good and the horse is doing so good, I was like, yeah, let's run."

The only previous Kentucky Derby winner to contest the Arlington Million was Gato del Sol. The 1982 Derby hero finished third in the 1984 Million behind Hall of Fame inductees John Henry and the filly Royal Heroine.

Also lining up for the Million is Grand Sonata, the 2024 Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) winner and recent United Nations (G2) runner-up. Cairo is the only European challenger in the field following a 40-1 second in the Huxley (G2) at Chester and a 100-1 third in the Queen Anne (G1) at Royal Ascot.

Earlier in the card, a field of six older fillies and mares will vie in the $500,000 Beverly D. (G2) over 1 3/16 miles on the turf. Be Your Best, victorious this term in the Gamely (G1) and Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2), could work out an ideal trip stalking Charlene's Dream, whose stamina has seemingly been exposed in two starts since upsetting the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette (G3) at Pimlico.

Be Your Best's most serious challenge might come from the South African-bred Beach Bomb, who captured the Orchid (G3) and The Very One (G3) over the winter before placing in both the Sheepshead Bay (G3) and New York (G1). The 2024 German Oaks (G1) runner-up Spanish Eyes also exits a good effort in her last start, a neck loss in the Robert G. Dick Memorial (G3) at Delaware Park.

Dream On will look to follow up recent wins in the Woodhaven S. at Aqueduct and Penn Mile (G3) in the $500,000 Secretariat (G2), a one-mile grass test for three-year-olds, but the field of eight has an interesting stakes newcomer in Simulate.

A Bill Mott-trained son of Kitten's Joy, Simulate has won two of four starts, most recently a first-level allowance at Saratoga by a widening 2 1/4 lengths at odds of nearly 17-1. Simulate is out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Lea, a top-level performer on both dirt and turf.