Almost 16 months after securing his first grade 1 victory in the 2025 Blue Grass Stakes (G1), Burnham Square is the expected favorite to collect a second top-level score—this time on turf—when he faces defending champion Fort Washington and six other rivals in the Arlington Million Stakes (G1T) Aug. 1 at Colonial Downs.
In the Blue Grass as well as in earlier starts, Burnham Square shone on dirt, breaking his maiden and capturing the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park in the early part of last year. But the Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred appears to have reached another level since trainer Ian Wilkes shifted him to race on grass. After finishing second in his first two turf starts, including the lucrative Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T), the 4-year-old homebred son of Liam's Map has strung together three consecutive stakes victories. The gelding dominated the Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland and the 1 1/2-mile Louisville Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs before grinding out a neck victory as the heavy favorite in the 1 3/8-mile Chorleywood Stakes at Churchill June 13 under frequent rider Brian Hernandez Jr.
"We ended up on the front end because there was no speed," Wilkes said of the Chorleywood. "I'm actually glad he had to dig in a little bit, because when things come to you too easily, you can become complacent. You want to see them handle a little adversity, dig in and show they're willing to fight. I was very pleased with that."
That latest success came over a dry turf course, unlike the Louisville, which was contested on "good" ground. Even the Elkhorn, officially listed by Equibase as run over a firm course, was conducted on a damp afternoon with some apparent give in the turf.
Firm ground is expected Saturday, with sunny, warm weather forecast.
Burnham Square is scheduled to arrive at Colonial Downs the morning of July 30 before schooling in the paddock the following day.
"He's right on target where I want him to be, so I'm looking forward to it," Wilkes said.
Burnham Square has excelled in longer, three-turn turf races, but he now shortens to 1 1/4 miles for the Arlington Million, contested around two turns at Colonial Downs, as it was for decades at Arlington Park before Churchill Downs Inc. closed the historic track in 2021 and later sold the property to the NFL's Chicago Bears.
Two runners with proven Colonial credentials are trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey. Magic Cap Stables' Fort Washington captured last year's Million with a late rally after finishing third over the course earlier in his career. Stablemate Integration, campaigned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, owns three victories from five starts at Colonial. His only defeats there came in the Million, when he finished second in 2024 and third last year.
Both McGaughey trainees seek to rebound from off-the-board efforts in graded company. Fort Washington finished seventh in the June 27 Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs after winning the Dinner Party Stakes (G3T) at Laurel Park, while Integration was beaten only narrowly when fifth in the June 6 Manhattan Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course after a victory in allowance optional claiming company.
Integration is 4-1 on the morning line, with Fort Washington listed at 5-1. Burnham Square is the 5-2 favorite.
Other contenders include 7-2 second choice Dresden Row and dual grade 1 winner Test Score, who should dip from his 9-2 morning line following a runner-up finish in the Manhattan.
Colonial Downs, Saturday, August 1, 2026, Race 11Entries: Arlington Million S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Dresden Row (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 122 Todd A. Pletcher 7/2 2 2Layabout (KY) Keith J. Asmussen 122 Patrick L. Biancone 20/1 3 3Fort Washington (KY) Javier Castellano 122 Claude R. McGaughey III 5/1 4 4Integration (KY) John R. Velazquez 122 Claude R. McGaughey III 4/1 5 5Burnham Square (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 124 Ian R. Wilkes 5/2 6 6Test Score (KY) Manuel Franco 126 H. Graham Motion 9/2 7 7Mercante (KY) Florent Geroux 122 Brian Knippenberg 12/1 8 8Gran Oriente (CHI) Paco Lopez 122 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 10/1
