Hap, winner of the Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) at Saratoga in his last start, drew the rail and has been installed the 5-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday's Arlington Million (gr. IT). He will face 11 other 3-year-olds and up in the nineteenth running of Arlington Park's signature race and leg three of the Emirates World Series.
Hap, a 5-year-old horse by Theatrical, out of the Hagley mare Committed, was bred by Allen Paulson and is owned by the Allen Paulson Living Trust and Edward White. Trained by Bill Mott, Hap is a perfect three-for-three this year, having also captured the Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT) and New Hampshire Sweepstakes Handicap (gr. IIIT). In his career, Hap has won nine of 14 starts and has earned $694,890. The winning purse for the Million will be $600,000.
Second choice at 7-2 in the morning line is Bienamado, who was an unlucky fourth in last year's Million. Bienamado has been making short work of his rivals on the West Coast this year and will get plenty of backing. Regular rider Chris McCarron will be aboard the son of Bien Bien and they will break from post 10. A winner of three of five starts at the Million's 1 1/4-mile distance, Bienamado is trained by Paco Gonzalez and is owned by John Toffan and Trudy McCafferty.
Three horses have been pegged at 6-1 in the morning line: the Brazilian-bred Redattore, who will break from post 3; the Neil Drysdale-trained White Heart, who will break from post 6; and the Bobby Frankel-trained Senure, winner of the United Nations Handicap (gr. IT) in his last start, who will break from post 7.
Redattore, trained by Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, won the grade I Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar in his last start under Alex Solis. Earlier this year, Redattore won the San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile Handicap (gr. IIIT).
White Heart, who will be ridden by Gary Stevens in the Million, won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (gr. IT) on the Kentucky Derby undercard earlier this year at Churchill Downs.
Senure will be ridden by Robbie Davis.
A host of European horses are entered for the Million, but all are sporting morning-line odds of 15-1 or higher, showing the depth of this year's cast. Muakaad, Silvano, Caitano, and Compton Bolter have shipped in from Europe over the last few days for the race.
Post positions, riders, and morning-line odds are as follows:
1 Hap, Bailey, 5-2
2 Silvano, Suborics, 15-1
3 Redattore, Solis, 6-1
4 Takarian, Nakatani, 15-1
5 Muakaad, Smullen, 15-1
6 White Heart, Stevens, 6-1
7 Senure, Davis, 6-1
8 Compton Bolter, Fenton, 25-1
9 Quiet Resolve, Kabel, 15-1
10 Bienamado, McCarron, 7-2
11 Make No Mistake, Albarado, 15-1
