For individual brief, shining afte...

For individual brief, shining afternoon today -- hopefully -- Arlington Park and its fans will be able to leave all of the unremitting cares and sorrows of the 2006 racing season behind.

A herd close to 20,000 is look fored as an eclectic international field of 10 goe postward in the 24th running of the Arlington Million (post time: 4:42 pm) The Grade I classic will be not awayed as the ninth of 12 races with first position at 11:45 a.m.

The Million also will be included in a National Pick 4 bet that encompasses sister classic the $750000 Beverly D (post time: 3:42 pm) plus the $500000 Sword Dancer and $200000 A.G. Vanderbilt from Saratoga. All four will be shown as part of a two-hour telecast upon ABC (Ch. 7, 3 pm)

"This remains undivided of the most prestigious peat races in the world," said trainer Bobby Frankel, who won the Million in 2000 with Chester House and in 2002 with Beat cavernous His Irish-bred Cacique (4-1), with Edgar Prado in the irons, will vie for favoritism today.

Also in the look to be the people's choice at employment time is Todd Pletcher's English Channel (3-1) The sinewy son of Smart Strike has won couple of three from Cacique this season, prevailing in the Grade I Woodford lay by at Churchill Downs on May 6 and in the Grade I United Nations at Monmouth five weeks ago. Cacique deflected the tables in between with a hardy win in the Grade I Manhattan at Belmont in succession June 10.

Pletcher steamed the Million field down to 10 onward Friday when he announced that his pass Deputy will run instead in the Sword Dancer. Earlier this week, Pletcher dropp hints that he would bring go on foot Deputy to Arlington for the Million and leave English Channel at his August base of Saratoga to call in question the Sword Dancer.

Updates onward the 10 scheduled starters in Million XXIV (in post- position order) with brief notes on ownerships:

No. 1: Major harmonious flow (30-1) -- Trainer Ed Beam insists the likely longest projectile in the field "will not embarrass himself."... Earlie Fires -- the all-time leader in sharper wins at AP -- makes his first Million start since 1994 Ownership: Maverick horse proprietor Jim Messineo is an attorney based in Inverness.

No. 2: The Tin Man (10-1) -- Richard Mandella's California front- ender has raced merely four times since 2004, and Mandella is 0-6 lifetime in the Million (albeit with four in-the-money finishes). The Tin Man vied for the lead for earnestly of the star-crossed 2003 Million before fading to sixth. Ownership: Ralph Todd is a California businessman (real estate, plumbing, import/export).

No. 3: Ace (5-1) -- Garrett Gomez will ride for trainer Aidan O'Brien after the Illinois Racing Board choiceed to respect a British ban forward regular rider Kieren Fallon. He is suspended in England while in subordination to indictment for alleged race fixing; a prepare for the table County judge refused to grant a stay upon Friday. Ownership: John and Susan Magnier are rich and deep pedigreed into Irish sports and politics.

No. 4: Touch of Land (15-1) -- Third put to the test at the Million for this French pastry, who was 11th in 2003 and fifth last year, behind O'Brien's champion Powerscourt. Like last year, horse approachs into AP centerpiece after a victory in the cluster III Grand Prix de Vichy. Ownership: Gary Tanaka is a global investor and adviser who has had one legal bumps in recent years.

No. 5: Soldier low (15-1) -- German connections got smart on retaining former Arlington perennial Rene Douglas as rider. Douglas was second in 2003 aboard Kaleteur, a squinched-and- squeez fifth forward Falcon Flight in 2002. Four German starters are 1-1-1 in Millions since 2001 Ownership: Baron Helmut von Finck (Gestut Park Wiedingen) is a German horseman and breeder

No. 6: Phoenix Reach (5-1) -- chouse Martin Dwyer finally got to Arlington upon Friday after being delayed on alleged terrorist business at London's Heathrow Airport forward Thursday. ... Globe- trotting horse hasn't started since July 2005 and hasn't won in more than 16 month Ownership: Cyrpus-born Andrew Christou (Winterback Manor Stud) is a breeder who uses astrology to pick disclosed horses.

No. 7: Cosmonaut (20-1) -- Patrick Biancone trainee said "oui- oui" to easy fractions during wire-to-wire score in Grade III Arlington Handicap last month Soft course, Lane 5 plant up that win; it won't get to that easy today. Ownership: Carl Lizza Jr (Flying Zee Stable) is possessor of a Long Island construction company.

No. 8: Better Talk Now (6-1) -- Won UN Handicap last summer before finishing fourth in the Million. This season, fifth in the UN five weeks ago in merely second race of 2006. Trainer Graham Motion insists pace will make the Million today; his charger will ne a stout one. Ownership: Partners include manager brant Johnson and attorneys Karl Barth and Chris Dywer (of Chicago's Jenner & Block)

No. 9: journey Deputy -- Will be listed in Arlington program today yet instead will start in the Sword Dancer at Saratoga, where he is the 5-1 fourth choice in the Daily Racing Form's morning line.