Betting With, and Against, Integration in the Million Preview Stakes

Shug McGaughey’s #4 Integration (1-1), who was ultra-impressive in winning two starts on the Colonial Downs course last campaign, tops a six-horse cast in Saturday’s $125,000 Million Preview S. The $700,000 Quality Road colt is winless this season from a trio of tries at the Grade 1 level and will appreciate the class relief in this spot. 

Integration – With

• $15 exacta 4 with 1,6 ($30)
• $5 trifecta key 4 with 1,6 ($10)

Integration – Against

• $10 trifecta 1,6 with 1,4,6 with 1,4,6 ($40) 

While I do feel that the bay has not taken that ‘next’ step forward in 2024 after a dominant three-year-old year, he’s still a classy sort with a big turn of foot, and he also loves this surface, as well. The Kentucky-bred four-year-old lands in a field lacking pace, which is something of a concern, but I still believe that he will be difficult to upend with something resembling his top effort. Kendrick Carmouche will be in the silks. 

I feel that Grade-1 victor #1 Highland Chief (8-1) has some upset appeal at a nice price from the rail. The talented son of Gleneagles has earned most of his best wins going marathon routes on the lawn, but he possesses good tactical speed in a field lacking an abundance of pace, and a few of his major foes prefer longer distances, too. Trained by Graham Motion, the Irish-bred was alert early in the Dinner Party (G3) before finishing fourth over a yielding course at Pimlico second off the shelf, and he can surely move up third time back. The seven-year-old is one paced but that might be a good thing in this particular spot. 

James Toner’s #6 Siege of Boston (3-1) has been close in four graded races over his last five endeavors and has to be considered in here with Jorge Ruiz in the stirrups. This War Front five-year-old doesn’t have the best running style in a field without a ton of early foot, but he should stay in relative touch in the opening stages to set him up for a nice run in the lane. The Joseph Allen homebred finished second in his lone prior run on the oval and could earn his initial stakes victory with a lifetime best.