Crackerjack King: finished fifth in the Coral-Eclipse on his last start
PICTURE: Hippogroup Roma Capannelle-Scoopdyga, BY RACINGPOST.COM STAFF5:59PM 16 AUG 2012
USA: CRACKERJACK KING has been installed as the 4-1 favourite for Saturday’s Arlington Million by William Hill.
The Marco Botti-trained colt, who has won seven of his nine races, is half a point shorter than Luca Cumani’s contender Afsare.
The two met in the Group 1 Premio Presidente della Repubblica in Italy in May when Crackerjack Kingprevailed by two and a half lengths.
Crackerjack King and stablemate Jakkalberry, who runs in the American St Leger on the same card, delighted connections in a spin at Arlington this week. “Our horses are ready to go,” said Lucie Botti, the trainer’s wife.
Hills have local hopes Boisterous and Little Mike next in the betting at 6-1 but Boisterous is better fancied in the States where he is the 4-1 Morning Line market leader.
A strong international challenge for the Arlington Million also includes the Aidan O’Brien-trained Treasure Beach who won the Secretariat Stakes on this card 12 months ago and Colombian representing trainer John Gosden who won Million with Debussy two years ago.
They are 7-1 and 8-1 respectively with Hills who make the Michael Bell-trained Wigmore Hall a 12-1 chance.
11:44 Arlington Park (USA), SAT 18 AUG 2012 (USA Time)
Good 1m2f Number of runners: 11
| NO. DRAW | HORSE | AGE | WGT | TRAINER RTF% | JOCKEY | OR | TS | RPR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 10-331 | Rahystrada35  |
8 | 9-0 | Byron G Hughes | J R Leparoux | — | — | 128 |
| 22 | 1-4132 | Boisterous35   |
5 | 9-0 | Claude McGaughey III | J Lezcano | — | — | 129 |
| 33 | 4-4212 | Afsare21 |
5 | 9-0 | Luca Cumani | Kieren Fallon | — | 114 | 131 |
| 44 | 1-1413 | Little Mike48 |
5 | 9-0 | Dale Romans | R A Dominguez | — | — | 132 |
| 55 | 21-158 | Colombian59 |
4 | 9-0 | John Gosden | William Buick | — | 100 | 131 |
| 66 | 3-4954 | Treasure Beach9 |
4 | 9-0 | A P O´Brien | Jamie Spencer | — | 118 | 133 |
| 77 | 1418-1 | Willcox Inn264 b |
4 | 9-0 | Michael Stidham | James Graham | — | — | 131 |
| 88 | 644396 | Wigmore Hall21 |
5 | 9-0 | Michael Bell | Hayley Turner | — | 121 | 128 |
| 99 | 01-115 | Crackerjack King42 |
4 | 9-0 | Marco Botti | C O’Donoghue | — | 113 | 132 |
| 1010 | 16-745 | Cherokee Lord35 | 5 | 9-0 | Charlie Livesay | F Torres | — | — | 120 |
| 1111 | 15/514 | Vertiformer35 |
5 | 9-0 | Wayne Catalano | J A Sanchez | — | — | 118 |
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