A winner in New York, Canada, Dubai, England, and Germany, the next stop for globetrotting Nations Pride is New Kent, Virginia for the Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs on Saturday.
The 5-year-old owned Godolphin and trained by Charlie Appleby, headlines a field of six 3-year-olds and up going 1 ¼ miles. Ireland-bred Nations Pride is the 8-5 morning line favorite leaving from post 4 under William Buick.
The Million, first run at Arlington Park, was moved to Colonial Downs after the 2021 season after Churchill Downs, Inc., shut down the iconic track outside of Chicago.
The race lost a lot of its luster with the change, but this year’s field should provide those who bet horse racing with a chance to test their international racing knowledge.
Also entered is Ancient Rome, a Kentucky-bred who races in Europe. The rest of the field: Integration, Sugoi, Ireland-bred Highland Chief, and Talk of the Nation.
The Million is the main event at Colonial Downs on a 12-race Saturday card also featuring the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G2), a “Win and You’re In’’ race to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
Also on the card is the $500,000 Secretariat (G2) for 3-year-olds going a mile.
Nations Pride has raced in the U.S. this year, finishing third in the Man o’ War Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct on May 11 and a closing second to stablemate Measured Time in the 1 3/16-mile Manhattan Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on June 8. The added distance in the Million could be a help.
“I thought Nations Pride was coming with a run and the one thing he does is finish strong," Appleby said after the Manhattan. “It's great to see him so competitive.”
Among his victories: the 2022 Saratoga Derby (G1) and the Jockey Club Derby (G3); and 2023 Dubai Millenium Stakes (G3), Canadian International Stakes (G1), and the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (G1) in Munich. His overall mark is impressive: 17-9-32 for $2,8 million in earnings.
Ancient Rome trains in England under Charlie Hills. The 5-year-old son of War Front was moved from France under Andre Fabre last summer. in 2023, Since then, Ancient Rome won the Mint Millions (G3) at Kentucky Downs and fourth in the Qatar Prix Dollar (G2) at Longchamp.
He’s run twice at Ascot in 2024 – 12th in the Wolferton Stakes in June and second in the Summer Mile Stakes (G2) in July.
Integration could spoil an international celebration. The 4-year-old Quality Road colt is 3-for-3 over turf course at Colonial, including the Virginia Derby (G3) and a 6 ½-length win over two rivals over a soft course in the Million Preview Stakes on July 13.
Talk of the Nation comes into the race has finished in the money in 10 of 11 starts for trainer Todd Pletcher but is looking his first stakes victory. He’s also a 4-year-old son of Quality Road and comes into the race off a runner-up finish in the Kelso Stakes (G3) at Saratoga on July 13.
The picks: 1 Integration 2 Nations Pride 3 Talk of the Nation
1 Integration (Kendrick Carmouche, Shug McGaughey), 5-2
2 Ancient Rome (Jamie Spencer. Charlie Hills), 3-1
3 Sugoi (Julien Leparoux, Mike Maker), 8-1
4 Nations Pride (William Buick, Charlie Appleby), 8-5
5 Highland Chief (John Velazquez, H. Graham Motion), 6-1
6 Talk of the Nation (Jose Ortiz, Todd Pletcher), 6-1
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
