Spot Plays for 2025 Arlington Million Day at Colonial Downs

A stakes-laden, 12-race program at Colonial Downs on Saturday is highlighted by the Arlington Million (G1), but there are several attractive maidens and allowances over the course of the afternoon as well. Here are five horses I'll be keeping an eye on in the win pool.

Race 2: Maiden, 12:29 p.m. ET

#8 Sharons Beach (5-1) appeared to be working far too well to run as poorly as he did on debut over the turf as a 2-1 favorite. Trainer Jonathan Thomas wheels back the son of Omaha Beach on relatively short rest (15 days) and with an interim five-furlong breeze in :59 1/5 in tow.

Thomas has an excellent record and positive ROI with second-time starters, and this gelding might also benefit from a switch to dirt. At the very least, he's likely to offer a better price at the windows.

Race 6: Tyson Gilpin S., 2:36 p.m. ET

#2 Impulse Buy (4-1) has yet to reproduce her best juvenile form in a pair of starts this term, but this might be the spot in which she does. She proved far too fresh in the season-opening Eight Belles (G2), fading to eighth of 11 after setting a hot pace, and last time she made no impact when trying the grass at Laurel Park.

Versatile in running style, Impulse Bay can benefit from the return to dirt and a drop in class from that Grade 2 run on Kentucky Oaks Day.

Race 8: Van Clief S., 3:45 p.m. ET

This race is likely to lose some of the shorter morning line prices as several competed at Ellis Park last weekend, but #13 Horsepower (15-1) still figures to offer a playable price.

An excellent grass sprinter with three wins and four seconds in nine attempts, Horsepower rarely runs a bad one, and also brings prior winning form over this course and distance. He bounced back from a troubled run at Aqueduct in May to beat former Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Nobals in a Presque Isle Downs stakes last month, and appears more than capable of pairing up victories for trainer Joe Orseno.

Race 9: Secretariat (G2), 4:41 p.m. ET

On paper, it is a modest renewal of this former Grade 1 event. An intriguing stakes newcomer is #4 Simulate (8-1), a Bill Mott trainee who has registered two wins from four starts, both at Saratoga. Speed-wise, his recent N1X allowance score at the Spa compares favorably with what the more experienced stakes performers in this field have accomplished, and the ceiling remains high for this Kitten's Joy colt from the family of Grade 1 winner Lea.