The big race of this weekend is Saturdays Arlington Million at Arlington Park, just north of Chicago. And it says a lot about a race when it can wrest the stakes spotlight this time of year from Saratoga and Del Mar.Then again, the Arlington Million has always been a big deal. Its a true trailblazer that broke a glass ceiling the previous existence of which now seems almost quaint.The Arlington Million was first run in 1981, and its inaugural running was won by the great John Henry narrowly over The Bart in a photo that some folks dispute to this very day. As if to address the matter, John Henry went back to Arlington three years later and won the 1984 Million decisively.In any case, the thrilling finish of the first Million was really only part of the story, and maybe not even the biggest part. The Million was special before it was even consummated, and that was because of its purse.As the name suggests, the Arlington Million carried a purse of $1,000,000, making it the first ever million dollar Thoroughbred race. And that made it a major deal in the racing world, and I mean world. The then outsized purse proved a powerful lure for overseas horsemen, spurring international competition.Its funny, but I feel as though I have to explain what a thing it was for the Million to break the seven-figure purse barrier because many who became fans of the sport later on might not fully comprehend the significance of the moment.This is understandable. Certainly the advent and evolution of the Breeders Cup has reset the frame of reference of what big purses in U.S. Thoroughbred racing mean. This year, the 13 Breeders Cup races will have a total value of $25.5 million, with a minimum purse of $1 million that actually applies only to five Breeders Cup races, and spiraling up to $4 million for the Turf, to $6 million for the Classic.But even when you set aside the 13 Breeders Cup races, it might surprise you to know that the Arlington Million, once all alone in terms of value, now has company this year in the form of a staggering 29 other North American stakes with seven figure purses.The Triple Crown races are, of course, members of this club. The 2016 Kentucky Derby had a purse of $2 million, while the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes had purses of $1.5 million, each.The state-to-state breakdown of where these seven figure stakes are run is quite revealing. The Belmont Stakes is one of 11 million-dollar plus events this year in New York, by far the most of any state when you exclude the Breeders Cup, which you must since it is a floating country unto itself, although not nearly as much as it used to be.The state with the next highest number of million dollar-plus races is Kentucky, which has three others in addition to the Derby.Its a bit surprising to me that California has only three million dollar races to call its own (the Breeders Cup will be at Santa Anita this year, but ?), the same as Canada, and only one more than Louisiana and Pennsylvania. But I was also surprised that Florida, which is a major racing center for about 4-1/2 months a year, has only one seven figure race, the same number as West Virginia.That, however, is scheduled to change on Jan. 28, the date of the inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup, which, for the moment, anyway, has surpassed the $10 million Dubai World Cup as the richest horse race in the world.Man, just look at what the Arlington Million started. Kansas City Royals Pro Shop . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Royals Jerseys 2020 . 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Australia have faltered in game two of the Constellation Cup netball series, falling in a thriller 53-51 to New Zealand in their Test in Launceston.After a crushing 68-56 victory in the first Test in Sydney, the Diamonds couldnt handle a lift in defensive pressure by the Kiwis.With the remaining two matches in New Zealand, starting with Auckland on Sunday, the loss is a big blow for the world champion Australians.Silver Ferns veteran Laura Langman was one of the stars of her side, getting the better of her wing attack opponent Madi Robinson.Langman said her team was bitterly disappointed with their opening Test loss.Tonight I think it showed the character that the side has, Langman said.Winning away from home is massive but whats really important now is to back it up.Weve been renowned for beating Australia as a one-off and we want to start making it more consistent.The Diamonds started brightly, runnning away to a 6-1 lead, but their arch rivals turned up the heat in the second quarter.ddddddddddddVeteran Anna Harrison started at goal-keeper and the move proved a defensive masterstroke.Harrison, playing in her second Test since a two year absence on family leave and battling injury, helped shut down the supply to the Diamonds main shooting weapon Cailtin Bassett.The teams went to the halftime break at 29-29 with the Australians looking rattled.The Silver Ferns, led by rookie shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit in her sixth Test, got out to a five goal lead before Australia closed the margin to 40-42 at the final break.The Diamonds hit the front in the last quarter but the desperate New Zealanders wouldnt be denied to give new coach Janine Southby her first win over Australia. 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