Brown Bringing Two for GP Turf

There aren't many graded grass races on the East Coast that Chad Brown hasn't won, and that list could get even shorter Saturday when the Eclipse Award-winning conditioner saddles two contenders in the GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) annexed last August's GI Secretariat S. in Chicago, but had to settle for second best to stablemates in each of his last two outings–behind Camelot Kitten (Kitten's Joy) in Belmont's GIII Hill Prince S. in October; and the impressive Annals of Time (Temple City) in the GI Hollywood Derby Dec. 3. “I freshened him up a little bit. He's been breezing nicely at Palm Meadows,” Brown told the Gulfstream press team. “It's his first start of the year, and it's a little bit hard to come off a bit of a break into a Grade I and face older horses for the first time, but I think he is a really talented horse. I think a mile and an eighth is perfect for him. He's a really neat horse to be around; he has a lot of class.”

Brown's other representative is French MGSW Almanaar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who split Flatlined (Flatter) and Divisidero (Kitten's Joy) in the GII Fort Lauderdale S. going a sixteenth shorter here Jan. 14.

Divisidero, last year's GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. winner, returned from a seven-month break in the Fort Lauderdale to rally from far back after getting washed out pre-race.

“He was very good in the paddock, which we worked on,” trainer Buff Bradley noted. “But when he got with the pony, he became a little bit washy. We'll have a different plan with the pony this time, after the post parade. He'll be with the pony through the post parade and may go to the backside and hang out there by himself.”

Luke's Alley (Flower Alley), who won this race 12 months ago, is another looking to step forward second off the bench. He made a menacing move up the inside turning for home in the Fort Lauderdale, but got completely stuck in the pocket, and checked out to be seventh, beaten just 2 3/4 lengths.