Arlington Million Day does not feel quite right without Bobby Frankel in the mix, and Frankel said Wednesday that he will have at least two and perhaps three runners here for the Aug. 9 Million card.

Sudan, who speed-dueled and held well for fourth last out in the Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont, is coming for the Million, and Frankel said he also is considering Out of Control for the race. But the established Frankel star who will ship into Arlington is Precious Kitten, who figures to be favored in what is shaping up to be an outstanding edition of the Beverly D. Stakes.

Precious Kitten could give Frankel an unprecedented third win in the Beverly D., a race he won in 1995 with Possibly Perfect and in 2003 with Heat Haze. Precious Kitten, purchased privately earlier this year by Lael Stables, has won five of her last nine starts, has finished first or second in 16 of her 21 career races, and in thoroughly dominating the Grade 1 Gamely Handicap in her most recent race, she put herself at or near the head of a filly and mare turf division that seems especially deep this year.

“Ginger Punch and her, those are my favorite horses,” Frankel said. “They always show up.”

Precious Kitten’s layoff since the May 26 Gamely has not come by design. She was being pointed toward the CashCall Mile on July 5 at Hollywood, but developed a quarter crack, and, after shipping to New York, needed a few weeks to get over the foot problem, Frankel said. Precious Kitten was fit before the quarter crack, and has worked four times - with one more breeze to come - for the Beverly D. Frankel feels like Precious Kitten will be set fitness-wise for the Beverly D., and he does not fear the race’s 9 1/2-furlong distance, either. Precious Kitten hasn’t won at a distance beyond nine furlongs, but lost all chance in her only longer race, getting wiped out by a turn-blowing horse in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Precious Kitten, who ships in Wednesday, figures to vie with another New York-based mare, Mauralakana, for favoritism in the Beverly D. Also expected for the race are Dreaming of Anna, Rosinka, Communique, Meribel, and a pair of Europeans, Cicerole and Toque de Queda. Lady of Venice, third in the race last year, is considered a possible starter.
(Source: NTRA)