Arlington Million XXX set with 11

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arlington Heights, IL (Sports Network) - A stellar international field of 11 turf runners has been entered for Saturday's Arlington Million XXX at Arlington Park.

The 1 1/4 mile Million is part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" program. The winning horse gets an automatic slot in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita on November 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug NcGaughey will start 4-1 morning line favorite Boisterous from post two with Jose Lezcano getting the mount. This will be the first time Lezcano will be riding the five-year-old for the Phipps Stable.

Boisterous is coming off a second-place finish by a neck in the Arlington Handicap to Rahystrada on July 14 when he was ridden by Alan Garcia.

"I think that Lezcano will lead the race, you know, as it comes up," McGaughey noted during Tuesday's conference call, "and I think he probably will have him laying a little closer than he was in Arlington Handicap."

On June 9 in the Manhattan at Belmont Park he rallied to finish third to Desert Blanc. The five-year-old won the Fort Marcy at Belmont Park on May 5. Boisterous closed 2011 with wins in the Knickerbocker and Red Smith Handicap.

A veteran of 18 career starts, Boisterous has earned $546,390 with seven wins.

Front-running Little Mike will break from post four with Ramon Dominguez riding for trainer Dale Romans. Owned by Priscilla Vaccarezza, Little Mike is 6-1 in the program.

"I just want him to get out and get a few lengths in front and get comfortable in his stride and have something left to kick home with," Romans said during the conference call.

"I think Ramon doesn't need many instructions," noted Romans, "and he knows what kind of horse he is. We've talked about him before, and we're just glad to have him. Joe Bravo's done a great job on him, but he has a previous commitment with one of Pletcher's horses, and so we're glad that we can get Ramon."

The five-year-old has also been to the races 18 times with 10 wins for $866,412. He began the year by winning the Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park before fading to fourth in Gulfstream's Canadian Turf.

Little Mike came back on the Kentucky Derby card at Churchill Downs to win the Turf Classic and most recently was third in the Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park.

From the rail out here is the field for Arlington Million XXX: Rahystrada, Julien Leparoux, 8-1; Boisterous, Jose Lezcano, 4-1; Afsare, Kieren Fallon, 6-1; Little Mike, Ramon Dominguez, 6-1; Colombian, William Buick, 8-1; Treasure Beach, Jamie Spencer, 6-1; Willcox Inn, James Graham, 12-1; Wigmore Hall, Hayley Turner, 12-1; Crackerjack King, Colm O'Donoghue, 5-1; Cherokee Lord, Francisco Torres, 30-1 and Vertiformer, Jeffrey Sanchez, 20-1.