With more than a touch of swagger and a résumé that boasts world-class form, Cairo will make his North American debut Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Arlington Million at Colonial Downs — and trainer Alice Haynes believes she’s picked the right time and place.

“It looks like it will really suit him with the fast ground,” Haynes said. “Obviously, he had a career-best in the Queen Anne last start. And we always thought that American racing would suit him.”

The 5-year-old Quality Road horse, bred in Ireland and owned by Refai Alghraiban, drew post 5 in a field of eight older runners set to contest 1¼ miles on turf. Cairo is 7-2 on the morning line and comes in off a sharp third-place finish in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he was beaten just 1¾ lengths by Docklands and Rosallion.

A Group 3 winner in 2022 and twice Group 1-placed, Cairo has amply demonstrated international class. Saturday’s Arlington Million marks his first stateside appearance after 21 starts in Europe, Dubai, and even Hong Kong, and he has earned more than $570,000 and finished in the money 14 times.

Cairo arrived in the U.S. through New York earlier this week and has settled in well in Virginia.

“They quarantine there for 48 hours, and then we came down,” Haynes said. “He had a little hack on the track this morning” and then schooled in the paddock.

To ride him, Haynes called on Ben Curtis, a familiar face in both European and Colonial Downs circles. With 19 wins, Curtis is the current meet leader and last year led the Colonial colony in wins.

“As soon as [Cairo] was on the Racing Post, he texted me, ‘Can I have the ride?’” Haynes said. “And I said, ‘Yeah of course you can.’ He knows the European style of riding, but he also knows Colonial like the back of his hand.”

If Cairo is new to American turf, he’s already acting like he owns the place.

“He’s full of himself and he’s very, very nosy,” Haynes said. “But every time he comes out of his door and even going onto the track, he’ll have a roar just to say, ‘Look at me.’ Even race day, he will do it. But he means no harm by it. He just wants to make sure people are watching him.”

Haynes hopes the U.S. crowd will be watching — especially late — as Cairo faces a talented group that includes three millionaires. The field is led by Integration, the 8-5 morning-line favorite and four-time Grade 1 runner-up; Fort Washington, a veteran with six wins from 27 starts and winner of the Dinner Party two back at Pimlico; and Grand Sonata, who enters off a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 United Nations and has earned over $2.2 million.

Also entered is 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, who tries turf for the first time for trainer Kenny McPeek.

But Cairo brings an international flair and a healthy dose of personality to one of Colonial’s signature races.

“He just wants to make sure people are watching him,” Haynes said. “He has got a great character.”

ARLINGTON MILLION ENTRIES