New York Runners Doing Well Post BC

New York-based conditioner Chad Brown will bring two Breeders’ Cup tophies home to the Empire State after taking the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint with Wavell Avenue (Harlington) and the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf with Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy). Brown’s three victories in last year’s championships and two this year bring his total Breeders’ Cup wins to seven.

After finishing within a half-length of speedy New York-bred La Verdad (Yes It’s True) in Belmont’s GII Gallant Bloom H. Sept. 26, Wavell Avenue came flying late to overtake that fleet flooted rival in the F/M Sprint Saturday.

“Wavell Avenue has really found her niche,” said Brown. “She’s kept improving, getting stronger physically. The plan is she will leave today for New York, Belmont Park, and then we’ll decide what to do with her. She prepared for the Breeders’ Cup over the winter in New York at Aqueduct, and that seemed to work for her. I’m happy for the ownership group, they’re a great bunch of guys.”

Winner of the GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2011, Stephanie’s Kitten, who was second to stablemate Dayatthespa (City Zip) in last year’s F/M Turf, stormed from last to first to take this year’s renewal. Owner/breeder Ken Ramsey decided to keep the dark bay in training this year after she RNA’d for $3.95 million at last term’s Fasig-Tipton November sale, but she returns to that sale this year as Hip 123.

“Stephanie’s Kitten had a wide trip last year [in the F/M Turf] and Mr. Ramsey could have decided to sell her or send her to another trainer, but he decided to go ahead and stick with the plan and get it right,” Brown said. “Even the horses that didn’t win, Big Blue Kitten and Slumber [third and fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf] ran their hearts out to two great horses from Europe.”

Seven-time Eclipse winner Todd Pletcher gained two more Breeders’ Cup wins on Friday’s card with ultra-impressive GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song) and GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff heroine Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) to bring his total championship wins to nine. Eclipse winner Javier Castellano was aboard for both of those victories.

Pletcher’s best finish on Saturday was with royally-bred “TDN Rising Star” Rachel’s Valentina (Bernardini), who finished second behind a dazzling display from fellow Rising Star Songbird (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“I would say we went into the Breeders’ Cup thinking we had a stronger hand on Friday overall than we did on Saturday,” said Pletcher, who also finished third in the Distaff with Curalina (Curlin). “Overall, it could have been better; it could have been worse. It was disappointing when Rachel’s Valentina finished second in the Juvenile Fillies, but she ran well.”

Pletcher said the Stonestreet Stables homebred would get a 30-day vacation before returning to training at Palm Meadows.