Arlington Million, Beverly D. set for Aug. 13 at Churchill Downs

The $1 million Arlington Million (G1) and its sister race, the $500,000 Beverly D. (G1), will be staged on a special card at Churchill Downs on Aug. 13. The day’s festivities will include a live money handicapping contest at the track, offering berths to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge.

Track officials confirmed Thursday that Churchill’s revamped turf course is in shape for the Million and Beverly D. Both venerable turf events were transferred from their now-closed home of Arlington Park, and trimmed to 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs.

The other two turf stakes originally intended for Million Day, however, will not be run. The Secretariat (G2) for sophomores and the Pucker Up (G3) for three-year-old fillies, likewise formerly identified with Arlington, are on hiatus in order to preserve the course.

For the same reason, the Million and Beverly D. will be contested in different lanes. The Beverly D. will use Lane 3, 24 feet off the inside rail, with a maximum of 12 runners early on the program. Later in the day, the Million will employ Lane 1, allowing a full field of 14.

“While our new Bermuda-hybrid turf course continues to mature to its ultimate potential,” Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson said, “we are being appropriately conservative by limiting the number of races in the best interest of long term preservation of the surface and growing root system.

“The course is healthy and vibrant and we are extremely optimistic about its performance now and in the future. However, we don’t want any setbacks to its progression, especially right now during its critical growth season. Our plan is to take advantage of the width and versatility of the new course and run the two marquee races — the Arlington Million and Beverly D. — in two separate running lanes to provide fresh ground for each important race.”

The Million anchors an 11-race card, including the inaugural running of two dirt stakes, each worth $200,000. Sophomores have an opportunity to travel 1 3/16 miles in the Fort Larned S., while the six-furlong Lady Tak S. is for distaff sprinters.

Entries will be drawn on Tuesday, Aug. 9. First post on Million Day is 12:45 p.m. (ET), and the nightcap is listed for 6:25 p.m.

Fans can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com. The Churchill action will also be televised live as part of NYRA and FOX Sports’ Saratoga Live programming on FS1 from 12:30-3 p.m., FS2 from 3-6 p.m. and FS1 from 6-7 p.m.

The Million Day handicapping contest, occurring on-site at Churchill Downs, requires a $2,500 entry fee. Of that, $500 is dedicated to the prize pool, and $2,000 will serve as the player’s bankroll.

According to the contest rules, each contestant must wager at least $2,000. A minimum of $500 must be bet on at least two races during the Churchill Downs card. Contestants may wager any amount in Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta or Daily Double pools, and will keep all winnings at the end of the card.

Prizes include fully paid entry into the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge ($10,000 value) and cash vouchers (amount depending upon number of entries). For more details on the contest, see the Million Day page at ChurchillDowns.com.