Arlington Million Festival 2026: Preview and Betting Guide for Colonial Downs
Colonial Downs hosts the richest single day card in its modern history on Saturday, August 1, when the Festival of Racing sends eight stakes worth a combined $2.6 million to the post. The marquee event is the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Arlington Million, but the day also carries the Grade 2 Secretariat and the Grade 2 Beverly D, both loaded with proven graded stakes performers. We break down every graded field below, cover the smaller stakes on the undercard, and share the angles we like heading into the weekend.
Arlington Million (G1): Fort Washington Defends Against a Loaded Turf Field
The Arlington Million goes as Race 11 on Saturday's card, a 1 1/4 mile turf test that draws eight older horses and headlines a trio of graded turf stakes on the Festival of Racing program. Fort Washington returns to defend the title he won in 2025 as the 5/1 third choice. Trained by Hall of Famer Claude Shug McGaughey for Magic Cap Stables, the gelding added the Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico this season and breaks from post 3 with Javier Castellano back in the saddle.
Burnham Square arrives at Colonial Downs as the 5/2 favorite and the horse to beat. The Ian Wilkes trainee moved to turf after a 2025 campaign that included a win in the Blue Grass (G1) and a sixth place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Since switching surfaces the Liam's Map colt has won the Elkhorn Stakes (G2), the Louisville Stakes (G3) and the Chorleywood Stakes (L), pushing his career earnings past $2.2 million. Brian Hernandez Jr. rides from post 5.
McGaughey saddles a second runner in Integration, sitting at 4/1, who finished second to stablemate Fort Washington in last year's renewal and has stayed in open turf company since capturing the 2023 Virginia Derby (G3). John Velazquez rides from post 4.
Two time Grade 1 winner Test Score is the 9/2 second choice and gives trainer Graham Motion a live shot at his first Arlington Million. The colt won the 2026 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and the 2025 Belmont Derby Invitational, then finished second beaten only a head in the Manhattan Stakes (G1) at Saratoga last out. Manny Franco has the mount from post 6.
Todd Pletcher sends out Dresden Row at 7/2 from the rail. The 5 year old dominated back to back allowance races at Keeneland and Churchill Downs before finishing third in the Wise Dan (G2). Tyler Gaffalione rides. Mercante, 12/1 and runner up to Dresden Row in the Wise Dan for trainer Brian Knippenberg, Gran Oriente, 10/1 and chasing a third straight stakes win for Saffie Joseph Jr., and 20/1 outsider Layabout for Patrick Biancone round out the field.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dresden Row | Tyler Gaffalione | Todd Pletcher | 7/2 |
| 2 | Layabout | Keith Asmussen | Patrick Biancone | 20/1 |
| 3 | Fort Washington | Javier Castellano | Claude Shug McGaughey | 5/1 |
| 4 | Integration | John Velazquez | Claude Shug McGaughey | 4/1 |
| 5 | Burnham Square | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian Wilkes | 5/2 |
| 6 | Test Score | Manny Franco | Graham Motion | 9/2 |
| 7 | Mercante | Florent Geroux | Brian Knippenberg | 12/1 |
| 8 | Gran Oriente (CHI) | Paco Lopez | Saffie Joseph Jr. | 10/1 |
Secretariat Stakes (G2): Alpyland Chases a Fifth Win of the Year
Race 9 sends nine 3 year olds 1 1/16 miles on the turf for the $500,000 Secretariat. Alpyland is the 2/1 morning line favorite for trainer Mark Casse after back to back stakes wins in the American Derby at Churchill Downs and the Penn Mile (G3), the latter earning a career best 91 Brisnet Speed rating. The Vekoma gelding also won the Columbia Stakes earlier this year and owns four wins from six starts as a sophomore. Javier Castellano rides from the outside post.
Supercharger is the 7/2 second choice for trainer Cherie DeVaux after rallying from off the pace to break his maiden, then beating older horses in a first level allowance win at Churchill Downs. Manny Franco takes the mount. Graham Motion saddles Turf Star from the rail after a win in the James W. Murphy Stakes at Laurel Park and a game 10th, beaten just 5 1/4 lengths, in the Belmont Derby against Grade 1 company.
Conducted returns from a nine month layoff for new trainer Jose D'Angelo off two front running turf wins in California last fall, including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Del Mar. Street Beast carries the field's richest bankroll at more than $900,000 after last year's Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), but he needs to bounce back from an 11th in the American Turf (G1). Fuzzbuster, Infiltrate, Redland Rebels and Vino Solo complete the field.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turf Star | Jorge Ruiz | Graham Motion | 6/1 |
| 2 | Conducted | Paco Lopez | Jose D'Angelo | 6/1 |
| 3 | Supercharger | Manny Franco | Cherie DeVaux | 7/2 |
| 4 | Fuzzbuster | John Velazquez | Vicki Oliver | 8/1 |
| 5 | Vino Solo | Jose Vargas | Mario Lopez | 20/1 |
| 6 | Infiltrate | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan Walsh | 10/1 |
| 7 | Street Beast | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Colebrook | 8/1 |
| 8 | Redland Rebels | Keith Asmussen | Patrick Biancone | 15/1 |
| 9 | Alpyland | Javier Castellano | Mark Casse | 2/1 |
Beverly D (G2): Stellify Heads a Field of Seven Graded Winners
The $500,000 Beverly D runs at 1 3/16 miles on turf with a 5:03 PM ET post time and draws 12 fillies and mares, seven of them graded stakes winners including two millionaires. Stellify makes her first start in nine months for trainer Brad Cox off a 2025 campaign that produced four wins from seven starts and more than $1.4 million in earnings, headlined by the Grade 3 Ladies Marathon at Kentucky Downs that punched her ticket to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She is the 3/1 favorite with Manny Franco riding from post 8.
Gimme a Nother, a South African Group 1 winner trained by Graham Motion, arrives off back to back scores in the Eatontown (G3) at Monmouth Park and the John C. Mabee (G2) at Del Mar and sits at 9/2 with John Velazquez aboard. Pin Up Betty won the Anchorage Stakes at Churchill Downs for trainer Michael Maker and takes her two graded wins and $1.2 million bankroll into post 7 at 8/1. Way to Be Marie was runner up to Pin Up Betty in that Anchorage and finished second in the Keertana Stakes as well, and goes for trainer Eddie Kenneally at 6/1.
Crevalle d'Oro won the Suwannee River Stakes and finished second in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G2) for trainer Jose D'Angelo, and Achieve brings a three race winning streak into her graded stakes debut for Mark Casse. Somethinabouther, Venencia, Daisy Flyer, Haute Diva, Storm Miami and Fast Market complete the field.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venencia (FR) | Nik Juarez | Saffie Joseph Jr. | 15/1 |
| 2 | Daisy Flyer | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Rusty Arnold | 15/1 |
| 3 | Somethinabouther | Tyler Gaffalione | Brendan Walsh | 8/1 |
| 4 | Haute Diva | Keith Asmussen | Patrick Biancone | 20/1 |
| 5 | Crevalle d'Oro | Paco Lopez | Jose D'Angelo | 12/1 |
| 6 | Achieve | Sonny Leon | Mark Casse | 8/1 |
| 7 | Pin Up Betty | Mychel Sanchez | Michael Maker | 8/1 |
| 8 | Stellify | Manny Franco | Brad Cox | 3/1 |
| 9 | Gimme a Nother (SAF) | John Velazquez | Graham Motion | 9/2 |
| 10 | Storm Miami (IRE) | Victor Carrasco | Amelia Green | 15/1 |
| 11 | Fast Market | Samuel Marin | John Terranova II | 15/1 |
| 12 | Way to Be Marie | Javier Castellano | Eddie Kenneally | 6/1 |
The Rest of the Festival of Racing Card
Five additional stakes fill out Saturday's 12 race program. The $150,000 Van Clief and its distaff companion, the $150,000 Andy Guest, both go 5 1/2 furlongs on turf for 3 year olds and up. On the main track, the $100,000 Petramalo Mile tests 3 year olds at one mile, the $100,000 Reigh Count brings older horses back to 7 furlongs, and the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin gives 3 year old fillies a 7 furlong dirt test. Together with the graded trio, the card totals $2.6 million, the richest single day in Colonial Downs' modern history.
Betting Angles for Colonial Downs' Big Saturday
The Arlington Million sets up as a pace duel between Test Score and Burnham Square, with Fort Washington waiting to pounce off the pace much like he did a year ago. Burnham Square's rise since leaving dirt has been rapid, three stakes wins in three turf starts, but Test Score has already beaten Grade 1 company twice this year and gets a proven closer's trip from Manny Franco. We like spreading the exotics with both those two and Fort Washington underneath.
Alpyland looks the most reliable single bet of the day in the Secretariat. He has won four of six starts this year and just posted a career best figure, and none of the challengers behind him have matched that level in stakes company yet. Supercharger, still finding his best trip at a mile and a sixteenth, is the logical price play underneath.
The Beverly D is the toughest race on the card to single out. Stellify carries the highest ceiling on best form but returns from nine months off, which argues for using her in exactas and trifectas rather than alone on top. Gimme a Nother arrives in the best current form of anyone in the field and represents fair value at 9/2 given her back to back graded wins.
Ready to Bet the Arlington Million Festival?
Saturday's Festival of Racing gives punters three graded turf puzzles to solve in the space of about 90 minutes, then five more stakes around them. Get your card set before the first bell and shop the board all day, since the deep fields in the Beverly D and the Secretariat especially should move the odds board around plenty between now and post time.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, download the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app available for iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 2026 Arlington Million runs as Race 11 on Saturday, August 1, at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Virginia, as the centerpiece of the track's Festival of Racing.
Burnham Square enters as the horse to beat off three straight turf stakes wins, though defending champion Fort Washington and two time Grade 1 winner Test Score are both strongly fancied in what shapes up as a wide open field of eight.
The Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes and the Grade 2 Beverly D also run on the same card, joining the Arlington Million as part of an eight stakes program worth $2.6 million.
The Arlington Million carries a purse of $1,000,000 and is run at 1 1/4 miles on the turf course at Colonial Downs.
You can bet online at app.mywinners.com, through the MyWinners: Racing and Sports app on iOS and Android, or in person at a MyWinners or Winners venue in Connecticut.
Image by Calstanhope is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
