AP Million (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
CNL- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Quarter on the Turf
August 9, 2025
Formerly the most exciting race on the AP schedule, the AP Million has made its way to CNL and is now the biggest race that is held at this racetrack. Our version of the race has had a great history, with previous winners including Dogma, Bronze Sabre twice, Spanish Showboat, and Dead Madness twice. That’s just some of the greats that can claim that they have won the AP Million. This year, Grand Opening will be looking to become the third two-time winner of the race, as he runs for Riggins Racing. He is running well, but this field is tough, and we shouldn’t have that any other way. Let’s take a look at our field of eight that will be taking part:
1- Poison Arrow (Mb Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Around this time last year, Poison Arrow was seen as a top three-year-old, running second in the KYD, then third in the BEL. However, his progress would stagnate, leading Mb Stables to drop him into overnights. That also did not go that well, and after only running third at BTP, Poison Arrow was moved to the turf. This seems to have gotten his career going again, winning $350.000 Opening Verse, and comes here off a near miss at the Grade 3 Kelso Stakes.
2- King Z (Mb Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Won two times over nine starts last year, highlighted by the Grade 2 Read Stakes in late July at DMR. His overall consistency on the year was enough to get him into the BC Turf, where he finished in the middle of the field. As a six-year-old, he’s picked up two more victories, with a win in a very royal BEL Gold Cup at SAR based on the names of the horses. Followed that up by running second three weeks ago at the Grade 2 United Nations Stakes.
3- Tom Kha Gai (High Voltage, ridden by T Conner)- Took on King Z three weeks ago in the United Nations Stakes, and finished one spot behind him. The one who won that race, by the way, is not here. Tom Kha Gai has made just four starts this year, with one of them being a win, the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes in March at SA. Generally, a consistent runner, and he does work well, that would love to make this his true signature victory.
4- Reinvestment (Invicta Group Llc, ridden by F Prat)- Jumped around between trainers in early days, before arriving with Spankys Barn. That trained tried to take the horse to the next level, and at times, he had success in doing that. However, his time there also shows a lot of inconsistency, and no wins after December 2023. Last month, that trainer decided to part ways, and sold Reinvestment for $20.000 to Invicta Group Llc. The new trainer will need to get the version of the horse that second in the Grade 3 Louisville at CD in May to show up a lot more often, including right here.
5- Anna Anna Anna (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by A Jimenez)- No, this is not a filly running against the boys. With that out of the way, Anna Anna Anna makes his stake debut here in what is also his second run with Maxmillion Farm. He’s run well in overnights and comes here after a win in a turf sprint at LS last month. Now, can he make this massive leap. Obviously, you never, ever, ever doubt Maxmillion when it comes to turf horses, but his two previous trainers were Smokey Stover and Mb Stables, so does Max see something they didn’t? Does work well, so we shall see.
#6- Grand Opening (Riggins Racing, ridden by F Pennington)- Last year, Grand Opening’s AP Million win was one of five that the Grand Sournoise gelding was able to capture. Things got better for him after running here, as he pulled off the victory in the BC Turf. Thus far in 2025, Grand Opening has made four starts and began his year in top form by winning the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf. That’s the last time that he won, but with a little more luck in a couple of photos, we can talk about two other victories this year. In short, Grand Opening continues to be on a roll even if he doesn’t have the winning streak that he had this time last year. He’s still the one to beat.
7- Suit Up (Night Rider Stables, ridden by V Espinoza)- About to get the test of his life right here. In 23 starts, he’s won eight times, but six of them come at the free track, and another was in a $2.500 maiden claimer. Night Rider Stables picked him up for $20.000 in a January private sale this year, and Suit Up has run well in pay track overnights since. While he’s been productive, he also was not dominant in those, winning only one of five. Is he a good horse? Yes! Is he an AP Million horse? That’s a whole new level.
8- State Cavier (Diablo Diablo, ridden by R Bejarano)- Speaking of productive, that definitely applies to State Cavier, as the State Police gelding his hit the board in 28 of 31 starts. Diablo Diablo drew the winning ball for him when he came up in the Smokey Stover dollar sales and has seen his horse win three times out of six starts, and in the money in all of them. His last start was his best start, taking the Grade 2 Read Stakes at DMR just two weeks ago, and looks to ride that wave of momentum. He was not over-raced before that, so I am not worried about the short turnaround. This will be his first Grade 1.
Prediction: 6-2-8-3
— NS
Note: I have no idea why this article is changing fonts back and forth. WordPress is weird like this sometimes.
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES