With entries for Colonial Downs Festival of Racing Day set to be drawn on Saturday, Aug. 2, the field for the Grade 1 Arlington Million is beginning to take shape.

Among the likely contenders is Runaway Storm, winner of the 2023 Grade 3 Bryan Station at Keeneland. He’s raced only three times since that score, once last year and twice this year, all without a win. Trainer Ethan West had intended to target the Million last year, but after a good seasonal debut, he had a setback that cost him the rest of the season.

“By the time he was going to get back up and going, it would have been the dead of winter,” West said. “So we figured we’d just give him time off until the first of the year, then get him back up as a 5-year-old and campaign him towards the Million.”

Along with Runaway Storm, international juggernaut the Irish-bred  Cairo is readying to ship to New Kent for trainer Alice Haynes. Having achieved multiple group two and group three placings around the globe, the 5-year-old son of Quality Road finished third last out in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Last year’s Arlington Million runner-up to Nations Pride, Integration is set to return for trainer Shug McGaughey. The 2023 Virginia Derby winner boasts $1,643,950 in career earnings, including three local scores.

Traimner Todd Pletcher plans to enter multiple graded stakes winner Grand Sonata.. Whisper Hill Farm’s homebred ran second last out in the United Nations (G2), and the 6-year-old horse has amassed $2,244,935 in lifetime earnings

With purse money totaling $2.5 million over seven stakes, the 2025 Colonial Downs Festival of Racing program also includes the Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D., the Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat Stakes, the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin, the $150,000 Van Clief, and the $150,000 Andy Guest.

Tickets for the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing can be purchased at www.colonialdowns.com.