Arlington Park released its stakes schedule for 2008, which includes 27 added-money races worth more than $5.5 million. The meet runs from May 2-Sept. 21.
Arlington's International Festival of Racing will be run Aug. 9 and features three grade I races, all scheduled for turf: the $1 million Arlington Million; the $750,000 Beverly D.; and the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes.
The Arlington Million and Beverly D. will be televised live on ESPN.
Other major event days include the Prairie State Festival for Illinois-breds June 21; and Million Preview Day July 12.
Four weeks prior to the International Festival of Racing, Million Preview Day includes major prep races for all three International Festival events.
The $200,000 Arlington Handicap (gr. IIT) serves as the final local prep race for the Arlington Million, while the $150,000 Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT) carries the same role for the Beverly D., and the $250,000 American Derby (gr. IIT) leads into the Secretariat Stakes July 12.
The Memorial Day weekend card includes two new stakes races. One of these is the $200,000 American One Thousand Guineas for 3-year-old fillies will run May 24 at one mile on the turf.
Arlington's Big Days
May 24:
Hanshin Cup (gr. III), $100,000, 3-years-old & up, 1 mile
American 1000 Guineas, $200,000, 3-year-old F, 1 mile (turf)
Arlington Classic (gr. IIIT), $150,000, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles
June 21: Prairie State Festival
Purple Violet Stakes, $100,000, 3-year-old F, 1 mile
Springfield Stakes, $100,000, 3-year-olds, 1 mile
Isaac Murphy Handicap, $100,000, 3-year-old F&M, 6 furlongs
White Oak Handicap, $100,000, 3-years-old & up, 6 furlongs
Lincoln Heritage Handicap, $100,000, 3-years-old & up F&M, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
Black Tie Affair Handicap, $100,000, 3-years-old & up, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
July 12: Million Preview Day
Arlington Handicap (gr. IIIT), $200,000, 3-years-old & up, 1 1/4 miles
Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT), $150,000, 3-years-old & up F&M, 1 3/16 miles (T)
American Derby (gr. IIIT), $250,000, 3-year-old, 1 3/16 miles
Aug 9: International Festival of Racing
Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT), $400,000, 3-year-olds, 1 1/4 miles
Beverly D. (gr. IT), $750,000, 3-years-old & up F&M, 1 3/16 miles
Arlington Million (gr. IT), $1,000,000, 3-year-old & up, 1 1/4 miles
Arlington Park
