Defending champion Nations Pride tops 30 nominated to the Arlington Million
With purse money totaling $2.5 million over seven stakes, nominations closed Wednesday for the 2025 Colonial Downs Festival of Racing program. Highlighted by the Grade 1 Arlington Million, the Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D. and the Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat Stakes, each scheduled for the turf, the Festival of Racing is slated for Saturday, August 9, the traditional weekend for the renowned trio.
Leading the 30 3-year-olds and up nominated to the 1¼ miles Arlington Million is last year’s winner Nations Pride (Ire). With $3,699,286 in career earnings, Godolphin’s 6-year-old horse trained by Charlie Appleby has since won the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes at Meydan.
Having finished second to Nations Pride last year, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing’s Integration is one of two nominated by trainer Shug McGaughey. The 2023 winner of the Grade 3 Virginia Derby, Integration has finished second in three G1 races in 2025, including last out in the Manhattan at Saratoga. Integration’s stablemate Fort Washington has racked up two grade three wins this year for owners Magic Cap Stables, including the Dinner Party Stakes on the Preakness Day undercard at Pimlico.
Two of the headliners among the Arlington Million nominees are trained by Miguel Clement. Since winning the Grade 3 Virginia Derby in 2024, St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable’s Deterministic has gone on to win three graded stakes, including his victory last out in the Grade 1 Manhattan. LSU Stables’ three-time G1 winner Far Bridge boasts a resume that includes six graded stakes scores and $2,372,980 in earnings.
Chad Brown’s trio of nominees is led by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn’s two-time G1 winner Spirit of St. Louis.
Seven of the 31 older fillies and mares nominated to the 1-3/16 miles Beverly D. are trained by Chad Brown. Finishing first and third last out in the Diana (G1), respectively, Resolute Racing’s Excellent Truth (Ire) and Klaravich Stables’ Dynamic Pricing (Ire) lead Brown’s nominees. With six Beverly D. titles to his name, Brown is the all-time winningest trainer of this event.
Second to Excellent Truth in the Diana, Lael Stable’s She Feels Pretty was nominated by trainer Cherie DeVaux. The classy four-time G1 winner has amassed $1,884,957 in earnings from just 11 starts.
Last year’s Beverly D. winner, Moira went on to win the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
The Secretariat Stakes, a one-mile turf race for 3-year-olds, attracted 33 nominations. Five who exit the Belmont Derby (G1) have been nominated, including the top three finishers, led by Amerman Racing’s millionaire Test Score. Trained by Graham Motion, Test Score would represent the connections’ chance at winning two editions of this race in a row, having sent out Trikari in 2024.
Perfect in three sophomore starts, Madaket Stables, Dubb, Michael, Strauss, William and Michael Caruso’s G1 winner Zulu Kingdom was nominated for the Secretariat by trainer Chad Brown.
Juddmonte’s Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Final Gambit is another notable nomination. Having run fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, the Brad Cox trainee returned to the turf in his last start, running fifth to Test Score in the Belmont Derby.
Festival Day will include four additional stakes: the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, a one-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds and its sister race, the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin at seven furlongs; the $150,000 Van Clief for 3-year-olds & up at 5½ furlongs on the turf and its distaff companion event, the $150,000 Andy Guest.
Complete lists of the nominees for all seven stakes can be found on Equibase here: https://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbHorsemenAreaSNHW.cfm?trk=CNL.
Entries for the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing will be drawn Saturday, August 2. Tickets for the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing can be purchased at www.colonialdowns.com.
Colonial’s races will be prominently featured on FanDuel TV all season long. Additionally, FanDuel TV will be on-site for coverage of the Festival of Racing on August 9.
