Archipenko is a globe-trotting 4-year-old who has won top-graded stakes in three countries in the last seven months. He will try to capture a fourth corner of the thoroughbred world Saturday in the 26th renewal of the Arlington Million.
A son of the formidable stallion Kingmambo and named for the Ukrainian sculptor Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964), the bay colt was installed Wednesday as the 2-1 morning-line choice atop a field of eight.
The Million is the 10th race on a 12-race card at Arlington Park, with a scheduled post of 4:44 p.m. First post is 11:45 a.m.
As usual, also on the prestigious card will be the state's only other Grade I thoroughbred tests: the $750,000 Beverly D. and the $400,000 Secretariat.
Bobby Frankel's Precious Kitten is the 9-5 opening pick in the nine-distaff Beverly D. (post: 3:50 p.m.). Greg Fox's blazing Tizdejavu (6-5) heads a field of nine in the Secretariat (post: 3:12 p.m.).
''I am very pleased with the way Archipenko has advanced toward the Million,'' said trainer Mike de Kock, a South African native who finished second in the Beverly D. last year with Irridescence. ''He normally saves his best for race days.''
Opponents have consistently felt Archipenko's "well-being" on his most recent race days. He has won three of his last four starts, including the Group II Summer Miles Stakes last month at Ascot, the Group I Queen Elizabeth II Cup in April at Hong Kong's Sha Tin and the Grade II Al Fahidi Fort on Feb. 21 at Nad al Sheba in Dubai.
Archipenko drew Post 1 - not the most advantageous slot in the wide-ovaling Million. He is expected to face his most formidable challenges from 5-2 second pick Mount Nelson, trained by the legendary Aidan O'Brien, and Helen Pitts' brilliantly versatile Einstein (7-2).
Mount Nelson has been a gem of inconsistency while going against many of Europe's best middle-distance horses. The son of the stellar miler Rock of Gibraltar has won only three of eight career starts, including one of his last five. That last victory came in the Group I Coral-Eclipse Stakes in July at Sundown Park, and that was enough for O'Brien to book trans-Atlantic passage to Arlington.
Einstein is the lowest-priced of the five American-based starters in the Million. Under the astute tutelage of Pitts, the Brazilian-bred has consistently contended on the grass and dirt up and down the eastern seaboard. The son of Spend a Buck won the Grade I
Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Derby Day at Churchill Downs, then finished second to Curlin in the Grade I Stephen Foster six weeks later in Louisville.
''I don't think we could be coming into the Million much better,'' Pitts said.
