Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}), perfect in three starts this term and in six of seven trips to the post in his career, will look to give Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables a second consecutive success in the GI Mister D. S. (formerly Arlington Million) and provide trainer Chad Brown with a record-extending fifth when he faces as many as nine rivals in what is to be the final running (at Arlington Park) of America's first million-dollar race Saturday in suburban Chicago.
A 300,000gns purchase out of the 2018 Tattersalls October Book 1 sale, the bay gelding defeated Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) and Gufo (Declaration of War) in a thrilling renewal of the GI Hollywood Derby last November, then–with Flavien Prat in the irons for the first time–shared the spoils with Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on the Derby undercard May 1. With a score to settle in the GI Manhattan S. June 5, Domestic Spending threw in a :23 second final quarter to easily best the tactically disadvantaged Gufo to cement his position as this country's leading turf horse. Colonel Liam finished a non-threatening eighth in what has become a key race.
Domestic Spending will try to follow in the hoofprints of 2019 winner and eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway), and there is not much between the two in the estimation of trainer Chad Brown.
“It's not crazy at all to compare him to that horse,” Brown told Mike Kane earlier this week. “Numbers-wise, he's running as fast as any of that top group of turf colts I've had. He's got a lot more to accomplish to be included in that group or to be the head of that group. But, you think about Bricks and Mortar, you think about Flintshire, you think about Beach Patrol, who was a really nice horse who won the Arlington Million and the Secretariat; you think about Big Blue Kitten, who was a multiple Grade I winner and champion. Of course Bricks and Mortar is at the very top of the list.”
In the form of Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Domestic Spending has his most formidable foe to date. A Group 3 winner and twice Group 1-placed at two, the son of MGSP After (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was successful at Group 3 level and sound runner-up to Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last October. Victorious in the G2 Huxley S. around tight-turning Chester May 7, he fought on bravely to be a close third to front-running stable companion Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot June 16 and was most recently beaten 1 1/4 lengths into fourth when carrying 135 pounds and giving weight all around in the G2 York S. July 24. Ryan Moore, in the saddle for three of the colt's five career wins, is back aboard. A victory would be the third for both O'Brien (Powerscourt {GB}, 2005; Cape Blanco {Ire}, 2011) and the late Galileo (Cape Blanco and Mondialiste {Ire}, 2016).
Bizzee Channel (English Channel) sat a perfect trip and slipped through inside of pacesetting Two Emmys (English Channel) to win the GIII Arlington S. July 17, as odds-on Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire}) finished a one-paced fifth. If willing to forgive a first-up effort that arguably looks worse on paper than it really was, the 8-year-old can pick up a minor share. Zulu Alpha gets the services of leading Saratoga rider Luis Saez to boot.
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